Etude Sasunaruji
by AiDan-Kurai
Summary: Naruto, Kiba, Shikamaru and Neji are HLV, an all gay band, but right before they embark on their first major tour the inconceivable happens...Sasuke has done something bad, very bad, can a sudden prospect help him run away from his dilemma?yaoisasunaru ji
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own the blond one.

étude Sasunaruji

Chapter 1

The crowd screamed like one agreeing body as Neji ended the chorus shouting the last words and the cheers became like thunder as Shikamaru's guitar joined in and he etched individually picked notes into the mesh of Neji's sonorous vocals, Kiba's bass and Naruto keeping up eagerly on his drums. Unconsciously, his sticks collided even harder onto the drums as the crowd's roars grew into an impressed din when Shikamaru coupled in a slew of complicated strings.

Kiba glanced up over the rim of his hoody to the overly-excited blonde behind him and as their eyes met he fixed Naruto a glare that read, "Calm down!" Naruto returned the look with twice as much disdain as the original and then smirked when the spiky haired boy fumbled on a note as he was momentarily pushed off the edge of his patience. Kiba swung his head around, with a growl in his throat, to face the crowd again, and then he quickly regained his rhythm. He comforted himself with a vision of him leaping over the dumbass's drums and beating him to a mushy orange pulp with his bass guitar.

Neji, oblivious to the situation behind his back began the last and closing verse as Shikamaru's solo faded away:

_**Put x's on my eyes cause I've got no life to live,**_

_**Nothing in love balances cause we don't get what we give.**_

_**Life is so fucked up.**_

"HLV! HLV!" some of the crowd screamed as he took a before the chorus, a group of girls who had lined the edge of the stage at his feet cried as they called his name in desperate plea, their outstretched fingers reached out to the willowy silhouette of the brunette begging just to clasp the ends of his faded grey jeans even if they had to dislocate their arms in the process. Neji stepped back casually in time to avoid being yanked to the ground by one particularly tall and equally vicious fangirl as she jumped and swiped at his feet with what he could only describe in his head as tiger claws.

_**The worlds spinning, but I'm standing still**_

_**cause their all fucked up.**_

_**They think it's fun, but it's not,**_

_**every one's dancing but I'm stuck.**_

_**They know the dance but I do not,**_

_**I'm the one that was never taught.**_

* * *

"Woo! Woo!" Jiraiya yelled, pumping his fists in the air, making several heads turn and raising eyebrows as he was standing and shouting in the much subdued seated section of the club. He looked over the large crowd ahead on the dance floor that seemed like a darken mass of movement except for the flashes of iridescent lasers. He brought his large hands together to clap a few more times over his head before Jiraiya adopted his seat again.

Tsunade watched him fold his arms next to her, his broad shoulders squaring off more evenly under his loose, bright red t-shirt, the same shade he wore since she knew him as a child. She closed her eyes slightly as she thought about how his nephew had the same irritating obsession with the color orange.

"Well?" Jiraiya said slowly coming closer to her with his widened eyes, Tsunade just studied calmly the group of boys on her stage as they waved for the last time at the still cheering crowd, a flash of bright colors and the fair-headed one caught her eyes as he quickly ran along the edge of the stage slapping eager hands and pushing the crowd on as if the show was not over. Then one by one they disappeared back stage, Naruto, of course, had to be pulled by his collar off by Shikamaru, but it was a rather smooth exit all the same.

"They've gotten a lot better than the last time they played here." she said, "The crowds a lot bigger also."

Jiraiya's face fell suddenly and he narrowed his eyes at the woman, "You didn't think that they would improve even after I took them under my wing?"

Tsunade shook her head, "I'm just surprised by how good they've gotten in such a short space of time, I know you're good." and she muttered, "But not that good." She recalled a year ago when Jiraiya told her he was quitting his job to manage Naruto and his friend's band. She thought it was one of the dumbest things that had ever fell out from between Jiraiya's lips, the boy's had good musical talent, Shikamaru and Neji were both prodigies, but as a band together, even though they were already friends their personalities clashed violently, actually most of the problem was Naruto himself.

"_Just lock them in a room together for a week and they'll come out the best of friends."_ Jiraiya had told her then, with a dark grin. Tsunade thought that not only was that illegal it was unrealistic.

But here they were, on stage, playing together without Kiba and Naruto attempting to impale each other with their instruments, Shikamaru complaining or Neji walking off grumbling about immaturity. In just a year the Hidden Leaf Village had two albums and a strong fan base in each of the five nations, and now Jiraiya was back at her club/casino begging her to-"So will you?" Jiraiya interrupted her thoughts intentionally, he had been watching her drift for a while now, her eyes narrowing as she got deeper in her head, they were almost slits now and he couldn't bear waiting any longer.

"Huh?"

"Would you sponsor the tour?" Jiraiya asked, "We already have three sponsors signed up, we just need one more."

"Hmm." Tsunade fell into thought again; Jiraiya's eyes widened in shock then fell into a glare as he watched her weigh the question.

"You said if they performed well you'll do it!" he exclaimed.

"I said I'd think about it." she corrected him. Jiraiya frowned, she did say that. "Besides, it's my money we're talking about, there're many other things I could be doing with it besides paying for those brats hotel rooms."

_Yeah, like paying off depts._, Jiraiya thought with a mental smirk, Tsunade thought no one knew she was cheap, if she only knew she was the last on Jiraiya's list of conceivable sponsors, he grasped that asking his old friend for money would be torture. Jiraiya dropped his chin onto his lifted palm in exaggerated impatience which made him look like a child.

"What are you hoping to gain from the tour?"Tsunade asked without looking at him.

Jiraiya sat up to talk seriously, "Besides more publicity, a record deal with one of the big shots."

"I thought you were getting offers from every side?"

"None that suited the interests of the band." Jiraiya said stretching his long mass in the fancy, little cushioned seat, he felt weary just remembering all those lingering meetings with company after company and each time being disappointed, even shocked, by the demands.

"The boys vowed that if they were going big they weren't changing a thing, especially not their sound. Some of the record dealers thought the songs were too depressing and dark, or violent."

"Naruto still writes most of them?" Tsunade asked and Jiraiya nodded.

The woman shook a pale-blonde lock out of her vision and then sighed. "Fine, but they're wearing t-shirts with my club's name on it for five of their shows." she said seriously.

Jiraiya smiled in triumph, "It's a deal." and they shook on it.

"The crowd could barely hear Shikamaru's solo you were beating so hard!!"the two heard a familiar voice exclaim angrily and turned to see the four they had just been talking business about coming towards them. Kiba face was inches away from Naruto's, who was glaring at his feet with his hands in his pockets; he looked like a child who knew he was wrong but stubbornly refused to admit it. Neji's face scarcely hid how much the argument was irritating him as his brow cringed deeper with every strident syllable out of Kiba's mouth and Shikamaru was slowing his pace so that he could fall further behind the entire group, make it easier to effortlessly ignore.

"Didn't you hear them cheering, they heard it just fine!"Naruto's head swiped around to shout back at Kiba.

The other boy growled, "If you would just-"

"Ookay, guess what?" Jiraiya suddenly stood and, with a velocity that Tsunade thought he could of only adapted through experience, he came in-between the two boys resting an arm on each shoulder. Maybe she spoke too soon about the band finally finding unity amongst themselves.

"Tsunade just agreed to helping us out." he told them just as Neji and Shikamaru joined at the table. Naruto immediately forgot about Kiba and swung two large sapphire eyes onto her.

"Really!?"

Tsunade answered with a detached shrug and the teen's grin grew almost too wide to be held in by his cheeks. "This is great! Now we can finally go!"

"Naruto," Neji's voice bit with a tint of annoyance, but still considerably solemn, "obviously we can't do anything at the moment without planning and organizing dates and budgets, we have to hire a vehicle and construct an unproblematic route, and purchase new equipment."

Shikamaru groaned he felt like just listening to Neji talk about the work was as tiring as doing everything the Hyuuga was speaking about all by himself.

Kiba smirked, "I think Shikamaru's about to back out." he said.

"No one's backing out." Naruto said with a scowl.

Shikamaru raised an eyebrow at him, "That sounded kinda threatening."

Naruto's expression softened, "I just meant that we're a band, so if one of us quits it won't work out."

"You know Shika, Naruto," Kiba added, "He'd rather lie in the park with his boyfriend watching cloud. Besides," Kiba clamped a hand heavily on Neji's shoulders and lithium like eyes glanced at it wondering where the dirty paws had been last. "we'll be leaving all that stuff to Neji here."

"Uh." Neji appeared gracefully shocked, and slightly worried.

Naruto saw him and grinned again, "Or, I can always do it." he said and Neji's eyes widened as a most horrific picture of the outcome of the witless blonde having anything to do with planning the tour flashed in his mind. _Oh, the disorder!!_

"No, I'll do it." he said quickly and shivers went through him like aftershocks as the image faded.

"Isn't that the job of the manager?" Tsunade eyed Jiraiya, pointing the question spitefully at him.

"Hey! Hey!" Jiraiya said, "It Neji says he can do it why would you go underestimating him?" Jiraiya came closer to Neji looking into his icy eyes and then said encouragingly, "I believe in you Neji." The brunette watched him with slight scorn to show him he was not buying it, but his manager's stare slowly drifted to something just behind the outline of Neji's waist length hair. One of Tsunade's short skirted waitresses had bent over to rest a drink Neji cringed and teardropped as he witnessed Jiraiya drool forgetting the teen was even standing right in front of him, like he'd practically disappeared.

"Excuse me." he barely muttered coherently before he passed Neji and went after her.

"Hey you pervert, leave my employees alone!" Tsunade shot up slamming both hands on the table but Jiraiya's ears were too filled with lusty goo to hear anything so she stormed after him.


	2. Chapter 2

**disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, nor do I possess that "Hotel California" song. unfortunate isn't…? **

Chapter 2

"SO YOU'RE-"

"ON A DARK DESERT HIGHWAY-"

"SAYING THAT YOU'LL-"

"COOL WIND IN MY HAIR-"

"CHARGE US ONLY-"

"ONE SMELL OF COLITAS-"

"FOR THE TIME YOU'RE-"

"RAISING UP THROUGH AIR-"

"DRIVING?"

Neji fought to be heard over Naruto's screeching.

"-sigh-No. I said that I want a fixed fee for the entire 58days." the deliberate and monotonous voice on the other end of the phone answered. Neji had a finger in one ear but it didn't help that Kakashi seemed to not want to acknowledge the obvious fact that Neji couldn't hear him and persistently spoke with the same soft calm.

Neji shot a death stare at Naruto and Kiba on the other side of his room. The two had come with broad smiles to his house that morning chiming together, "We're here to help!". Neji cursed himself for believing it. They'd dropped their hobo asses on his just cleaned carpet and played 'Karaoke Revolution' all day while Neji worked tirelessly on the last minute preparations for the tour.

Kiba was lying on his back crying and laughing at the same time as he held his stomach in pain. "Naruto! Pease-stop-before animal control gets here and puts you out of your misery!", he gasped between laughs and Naruto went silent, then red with anger still holding the mike to his mouth.

"KIBA!!" he screamed in that ever so husky, exasperating Naruto-like voice that caused Neji to close his eyes in attempt to calm his boiling impatience, he thought about shouting himself, some violent threat that would make the two so frightened they would shrink to the size of fleas and he would have silence. But he was quite sure he had never angrily exploded on anyone before (except maybe once on his cousin, Hinata), and he wasn't about to wreck that record, not because of the infantility of those two.

"HOLD ON A MINUTE!" he told Kakashi and left the room closing the door behind him without a glance at Naruto who was now on top of the still hysterical Kiba trying to strangle him with the microphone cord.

Ten minutes later Kiba was in the middle of 'Longview', Naruto was rubbing his shoulder with a scowl muttering, "You didn't have to hit me that hard…." and Neji came back into the room with a smug, triumphant smirk on his face. After conscientiously resting the handheld phone back onto its stand he voiced what Naruto and Kiba thought was obviously indicated by his sudden change in mood. "Kakashi is our driver, and everything is done. We're set for our first concert next week." If it were a year ago Neji would have demanded applause, but quietly relishing in his achievement was enough at the moment and he allowed himself a slight smile that Kiba raised an eyebrow at.

Naruto's scowl deepened to a thoroughly disgusted expression. "Hatake Kakashi?" he asked and Neji nodded, "We'll never get anywhere on time."

Neji looked confused at the blonde one who sat, arms folded, on his now popcorn and tortilla chip littered carpet, a dried drop of frozen yogurt on the side of his lips gave Neji the sudden urge to snatch up a napkin and wipe his face clean, yogurt, obnoxious expression and all. He was about to ask Naruto what he meant by the not getting anywhere on time thing when his bedroom door opened and Shikamaru stepped in. He looked despondent, which was strange, Shikamaru basically always looked bored and from there little changes in his eyebrows and mouth gave clues to other emotions, but as he closed the door softly and looked up at all three of them, he actually appeared sad.

"Bad news." he said in a heavy voice.

Kiba paused the game, "Choji found out about that time you were drunk with Ino and dumped you?"

"No." he answered without any reaction to the regretful memories Kiba had evoked.

"What then?" Naruto asked.

Shikamaru sighed, "I can't go on the tour with you guys."

"What!?" Naruto cried out angrily and his body stiffened and found an upright about to pounce position in one second flat. "You're backing out!?"

"Cool it hot head!!" Shikamaru rounded on him before he could say anymore, "No! And I'm not done, I'm also leaving-" Shikamaru hesitated, his eyes fell to the floor for just an instant and Neji knew what he was about to say a second before he said it, "leaving the band."

Both Kiba and Naruto sharply sucked in a mouthful of air and dropped their jaws as their eyes widened. Neji looked inquiringly at Shikamaru and when the boy noticed he turned to the other and said, "My parents- my mom mostly. She never really liked this whole rock band thing and she wants me to go to that music academy in the Sound and study."

"B-but-can't you-" Naruto began but Shikamaru shook his head.

"Been arguing all night and day with her, almost got my ass kicked out too." he scoffed and made a bitter smile, "Usually when she wants me to do something that I don't care to I'd just go along with it, arguing is such a drag sometimes, waste of energy, best just to get it over with. But I really did put up a fight, she won't budge though, I already got accepted by the school."

Naruto didn't know that disappointment could be so heavy he didn't know it could hang in a room like a palpable form and muffle all sound and feeling either, maybe because it wasn't just disappointment they all felt but a rather depressing cocktail of emotions that made them drunk with hopelessness.

Shikamaru had walked over to Neji's immaculate bed and sat (he was the only one that Neji deemed neat enough to even come near it), Kiba dropped, cross legged, where he stood and Neji tried to distract himself from the ringing of shock in his ears by planning who in the list of many he would call first to start the long process of tour cancelation.

So it was over, after a year of hard, constant work (that he had to admit was more fun than tiring), Naruto couldn't comprehend how such a vast, important part of his life could so abruptly end, and awed at the big empty hole he felt that it had left, a new slash on a just healing wound. _It was too much of a familiar feeling._ He cringed and then shook his head, like he was fighting sleep, causing golden bangs to almost completely shade his eyes. "We can't let this end just because of Shikamaru."

"Thanks Naruto." Shikamaru said.

"Sorry."

"No, it's okay, I get ya, and you're right."

Neji caught the blonde one's eyes which color appeared to deepen with determination. _Deep blue-like the ocean, no- more like the beach on a perfect day_, the brunette turned away so that his band mate (and proclaimed on countless occasions 'most exasperating influence' in his life) won't see him shiver, or the bit of pink that kissed his porcelain cheeks. _Damn it._

"We'll just have to get a new guitarist," Naruto declared, Kiba had looked up at him and Naruto had to suppress a chuckle because the teen looked like he was this close to crying a moment ago. "We probably won't get one as good as you Shika, or maybe we will, I don't know but we can't just give up like that, we've already been through so much." Naruto was really worried suddenly, he couldn't believe how fast the prospect of failure had crept over them and they had all gone gray and blank. Jeez, if it wasn't for him and what Neji often called his 'blind optimism'!

Shikamaru nodded slowly as he rationally absorbed what Naruto had said and as he did so Neji was also staring off out his window at nothing at all. Naruto and Kiba could nearly hear the 'geniuses' gears turning.

"We'll have to hold auditions." Shikamaru finally said, , though Kiba thought that was obvious.

"It would have to be coordinated by this weekend or before as we're leaving Konoha on Tuesday." Neji added.

"And the new guitarist would have to know most of our music already, or at least be good enough to learn them in a short space of time." Shikamaru mused allowed, then he turned to Neji as if he had just noticed him there and hadn't been speaking to him the entire time, "Is there any way you can postpone a few dates?"

Neji was shaking his head before Shikamaru finished his sentence, "No, it would cost us, if not financially, we might even lose a few dates too, we have to leave Tuesday." he held regretfully.

"Fine, Friday."

"I'll post the notice on our site, that way it would be more prospective that we would find someone who knows our music." Shikamaru nodded in agreement and Neji moved to get his laptop set up.

_Just like that_, Naruto thought, Shikamaru's news seemed already far away. He marveled at his two friends and their quick thinking, if they wanted to they could probably rule the world. Naruto chuckled softly with smiling eyes as he fantasized a world reigned by Hyuuga Neji and Nara Shikamaru. It would be the neatest, most laid back planet in the universe.

~o~o~o~O~o~o~o~

Ebony eyes glared at the reflective, midnight blue of the electric guitar that sat indifferently opposite him at the other end of his room. Sasuke glowered at the thing like it had just insulted him. How dare it! Watch him with such yearning in it's strings, it's black leather strap hanging flaccidly along the fingerboard almost burning with desire, to just be wrapped around the teen's narrow shoulders, press softly yet still against his muscular back. _Hold me, fondle me, take me there!_

Sasuke glanced over at his opened laptop where it laid on his desk, his desk that was piled with brand new, virgin text books, some still in the bookstore bags. The desk chair pushed away and facing him, positioned with the obvious signs that he had been seated upon it last. Right before he had dropped himself on his bed and decided to have a staring contest with his uninterested guitar. His eye twitched.

He didn't budge because he had already decided within himself that any movement would be an intended action that would either take him to one place or the next. 'One place' was out his door, right after he grabbed his guitar. 'The next' was his desk, to shot his computer off and then-then-_shit_. Then he would sit in his apartment and wonder what he was going to do with himself for the next year and he would only do that because he refused to regret the last 'one place or the next' decision he had made just three weeks ago. 'Decision' was actually putting it delicately, the Uchiha in him would say 'impulse', but he mentally shook those thoughts away, they weren't the problem at hand.

He looked at his guitar again which he could of sworn was smirking at him if he hadn't already decided he was not insane today even though his mental ranting and current actions were proving that untrue. The Uchiha sighed ever so softly, then moved, he climbed off of his bed and stood, slipping his shoes back on before he walked towards his desk, long pale fingers closed the laptop down slowly as his eyes followed the faling screen, still reading words that were burned into his memory half hour ago.

Sasuke ambled to his guitar and put the thing back into its case with the patience of routine, he had decided that though he was about to walk even deeper into the consuming muddy pool he had already thrown himself into three weeks ago, he was going to do it with that characteristic Uchiha cool and make it all look planned and intentional. He slung the guitar case strap over his shoulder and with a shrug began to walk out the room but before he could get to the door he was stopped by a sudden single, electronic ring coming from his mother's apartment warming gift which sat beside his laptop on the desk. Another ring came from the phone, Sasuke didn't bother turning around, it was probably the person mentioned in the first place. It would go to the machine in about two more rings, besides, it didn't matter if he answered it or not, she should know that he's supposed to still be in class at this time in the day.

"Hn." he continued out, if he didn't leave now he'd be late.


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: the blond one I do not own.

Chapter 3

Naruto raised an eyebrow and scratched into his thick blonde mane as he surveyed the six that had come to his and Jiraiya's apartment, where they decided to hold the proceeds that day. He knew each of them, or at least knew of, which was why he found it amusing that those were the only willing few. There was Lee, who he knew through Neji, an aerobics junky whose training sometimes bordered on masochistic, though Naruto couldn't stop himself on many occasions from jogging with the bowl haired, green clad spark. In some weird way he guessed they must have _something _in common.

Ten Ten, another one of Neji's friends, Kankuro, who was, unfortunately and reluctantly, a friend of the blonde one. Naruto thought he was annoying. Kankuro affably winked at the blonde one who response was to glare back at the teen's heavily made up face, the older boy just shrugged and shook his head, then smirked, if he made the band he would enjoy torturing the kid.

Then there was Asuma, Shikamaru's old guitar teacher, he stuck out drastically with his tall buff mass, Kiba muttered that he'd fit well as their bodyguard instead. "_He looks dangerous…"_

"What are you doing here?" Shikamaru asked him with an uncertain expression.

"What does it look like? I'm taking your place." the bearded man said with a warm smile that didn't fit at all with what he was implying.

Shikamaru looked worried, "Do you even know our music?"

The last two was another teen named Sai, who turned heads the moment he stepped into the room, and Sakura, Naruto's best friend from high school. Naruto couldn't believe that the pink haired girl had come, he'd only spent the past two months, from time to time (when he had it, time that is) teaching her how to play. He thought that it wasn't anything serious, some feminine, romantic ideal that she had in her pretty head to learn how to play the instrument, especially since she just started her first year in med school. But Sakura was there, blushing profusely and holding onto her lavender colored electric like it was a comforting stuffed toy, viridian eyes nervously wandered from her pale, sweaty hands to the door repeatedly.

"Why are you so nervous, Sakura-chan?" Naruto asked her and her eyes flickered over him for a few quiet seconds as she climbed out of her heavy thoughts to answer him. "Because I'm-I'm not sure I can do it." she told her friend, a nervous smile on her lips, she felt some form of ease from his seemingly caring question.

Naruto frowned before he opened his mouth to say the first thing that came to mind, "Then why are you here?" Sakura's face hardened into instant anger and experience and many painful, painful memories compelled Naruto to take a cautionary step away from the irate pink-head.

"Because I want to know if I can do it!" she snarled at him, that foreboding fist, that the blond one couldn't take his gaze off of, clenched at her chest.

"Well, its 10:30, let's get started!" Jiraiya entered the room from the kitchen and Naruto was thankful for the distraction because Sakura forgot all about him as she jumped at his uncle's declaration and went back to sweating as she was doing before. Naruto was about to sit behind his drums when he noticed Jiraiya's familiar ogle eyed, drooling grin, and he stopped to investigate, the older man raised tickling fingers that often pointed in the direction of the current object of his salacious affection. Naruto followed the invisible line of Jiraiya's gaze ready to clock his uncle one if only he decided to go after Sakura today as he had promised to do as soon as the girl was legal. But he shortly saw that the older man was tiptoeing, like a happy ballerina, towards Sai. Naruto paused as realization struck him making his eye twitch.

"Hello there gorgeous." Jiraiya began, using his smooth, deep voice while blatantly eyeing Sai's exposed slender abdomen and waist and causing his nephew to gag in the background. Sai looked at the man making advances on him with vacantly, reflective ebony eyes for more than a moment then he blinked unsure of what he should do, he decided to scour through his mind for a response which would be most normal.

"So you're trying out for the band, huh?" Jiraiya came closer taking Sai's silence and utter lack of definable expression as an invite, "I'm the manager so I make all the _big_ decisions-"

"Do you?" Shikamaru muttered.

"so if you'd like we can hold our own private auditions, huh?- huh?" Jiraiya raised his brows suggestively and Naruto almost tripped while standing.

Sai stared blankly for one more second, a tiny sweatdrop on his forehead the only sign of his thoughts, "I'm a guy." he said simply because after all that time he still couldn't find a nicer way of putting it.

Neji choked on air and Jiraiya was up against the wall and away from Sai in a fraction of a second. Kankuro snorted and Kiba almost fell off of his seat laughing.

"A-a-a-guy." Jiraiya stammered, his eyes enlarged and glazed over white, he was stuck to the wall like a petrified cat and every time his gaze went over to the boy's body for the proof he hadn't found before he turned away quickly again as if Sai's image burned his eyes. The pale haired man suddenly felt a little faint.

"Hey, are you okay?" Shikamaru asked him, he felt more pity for the older man than concern.

"Yeah-yeah." Jiraiya said out of breath, "Just give me a little time."

"And therapy." Kankuro snickered and Kiba felt like he was either going to die laughing or start crying blood.

Naruto just shook his head, he felt too ashamed to laugh, though he knew that later today, when the story was retold (and at sometime in the future turned into a fireplace legend) he won't feel the same, but his thoughts were halted by his doorbell sounding and as everyone else appeared to be distracted- "I'll get it." he said before he went forth.

Naruto got to the door, opened it and his eyes immediately looked upon two obsidian bulbs, shadowed darkly by jet black strands of perfectly sex-tussled hair.

Sasuke eyed the blonde one before him and then narrowed his gaze as he regretted not wearing his shades today. He had never before seen so many bright colors clashing with such violent differences on one form since he stopped watching cartoons when he was four. Besides the fitted black jeans that rose to snug over a small space between the blonde's legs, he noted the sun kissed skin, startling orange t-shirt, with the words "Papillon Noir" in black cursive on the chest, hovered to an end just above the teen's slightly angled waist, strands of sunlight was his hair that looked like he had just been running alongside the wind and hadn't bothered to fix a thing. Then, the eyes, they kind of glistened and Sasuke contemplated the so many jewels and other similarly beautiful objects and sceneries that they brought to mind, but he thought that none could really suffice.

Of course none of these thoughts could be read on the Uchiha's face, in fact, if Naruto was asked he would have said that he opened his door to find some stranger glaring at him like he was picking a fight.

"What do you want?" he asked the dark boy as he eyed the guitar case slung on his back.

Sasuke shrugged softly, "Isn't it obvious?" he answered coolly and Naruto's eyebrows twitched along with his current irritation level.

"Yeah, well you're too late, the auditions already started." Naruto didn't like this kid; he knew that immediately like someone would a bad smell.

Sasuke didn't like the blonde one's tone, it sounded too much like a growl, he shifted his eyes slowly to the scene behind Naruto's back and then at the blonde again with an expression that bordered on condescending.

"That doesn't sound like music." he said.

Naruto felt a burning at the pit of his stomach, the hairs at the back of his neck stood from the flushing heat under them and his arms shuddered slightly as he clenched his teeth to control himself, normally he was quick to get riled up but something about this guy-_What the fuck was his problem?_

Sasuke sighed, _great_, now the idiot was staring at him and twitching like a mental patient, he knew that he had the innate ability to coldly push buttons but this was too easy, _he hadn't even tried!_

Sasuke's pale, full lips curved upward, at one side, by the ends so that he intentionally looked sensually malicious; as he let his eyes fall closed and said, "Like what you see?"

Naruto's breath caught in his throat as for the first second he was completely stunned, then his shoulders rose as he felt his anger burn forth, tightening the muscles in his hands to form a clenched fist. The dark one in front of him smirked even more at the colorful reaction. Naruto was just about to step forward when he felt a hand fall approachably on his shoulder and he almost shoved it off before he realized that it belonged to Kiba.

"Hey, there's another one." the oblivious teen said and he smiled at Sasuke, "Great, you look like you can play, come in, sign your name over there."

Kiba turned, gesturing for the dark teen to follow him as he walked to the table. Naruto felt his anger seeping away gradually as the boy stepped to walk pass him, though his eyes still followed Sasuke's every movement with lethal intensity, he didn't even realize that he was growling.

But as Sasuke stepped through the door and walked by the blonde one into the wide, studio apartment he smirked again, though more teasing than malevolent, "Hn, dobe."

"Argh!!!" Naruto spun around with both fists clenched this time and a raging expression but the boy was already at the table, before Neji, Shikamaru and a still visibly depressed Jiraiya, writing his name. Sakura looked at him with a disapproving frown, "Naruto, calm down!" she told him.

Naruto huffed and shoved his hands into his pockets because he didn't trust himself with them out in the open, he felt like just breaking things. He kicked the door closed behind him and dropped into the little stool behind his drum set.

"Naruto, get over here, we're gonna start." Shikamaru called over to the fuming blonde one, he had heard his friend cry out and the door slamming but Naruto's mood was like the weather sometimes and he really didn't think questioning would benefit himself in any way at the moment. But he waited for the boy to come over and sit next to Neji behind the table they had placed facing the carpeted homemade stage they usually used for practice.

"Okay," Shikamaru began as he held up the sheet with the varied scribbled names in one hand, "So I guess we'll go with who came first, uhh, Kankuro."

"That's me."

Kankuro stepped up to the stage, plugged himself into the amplifier and turned to the five in front of him. Neji's steely eyes looked over the teen's appearance disparagingly, he really wasn't certain why Kankuro would want to join their band, even though the Hidden Leaf Village didn't produce the friendliest music out there, with his elaborate purple make-up and outlandish attire Kankuro looked more like the acid rock type. He played like it too, when he didn't glance at Jiraiya and fall into gasping laughing seizures. After the forth pause where even Kiba started giggling, Neji stood pointedly and said, "Thank you." with some restraint.

_So this is the Hidden Leaf Village,_ Sasuke thought as Ten Ten was plugging her guitar into the amplifier now. Obviously he knew their music, if he hadn't he wouldn't be here, he had stumbled upon the site a while ago and as their music somewhat matched the cloudy, oppressive disposition he had hovering overhead these past weeks, so he had downloaded every song, and because, he had to admit, all the songs were-(thinks of word) agreeable, and somewhat enlightening (in that 'no you're not alone' sort of way), he listened to them, regularly. And because he had absolutely nothing to do with himself currently, he had also picked up his guitar a few times (every time), turned his favorite songs up and played along. He had never been interested in a rock band before, he wasn't one of those teens that had their favorite band devotedly placed on their bedroom walls and played their songs at the highest volume until the parents stopped the private concert, he never experienced returning home on a bad day and having that most intrinsic yearning in your blood for _that one song_. He hadn't known what that felt like until recently, and as he looked at the people who had helped him get through the past three weeks where they sat in front of him, he refused to acknowledge a very weak, but persistent fluttering sensation in his stomach.

Ten Ten finished the tune a bit flustered and pink in the cheeks, she had stumbled through it, she needed more practice.

When Lee got up into the spotlight his energy and enthusiasm well surpassed that of Naruto, Kiba felt dizzy and annoyed just watching him.

Sai played well, though Jiraiya still couldn't bring himself to look at the deathly pale teen and Asuma, just as Shikamaru had thought, didn't know any of their music.

"Hmm, I can play some Motley Crue." he said hopefully.

"Next!" Shikamaru groaned and Asuma feigned hurt.

"Sakura-chan, your next." Naruto had to say to get the pink-head out of another trance where she stared, empty eyed at the stage.

"Oh." she smiled, "Right, I'm next." and she stepped up.

"Good luck Sakura." Naruto whispered loudly to her and grinned. _She needs it_.

"Thanks Naruto. Ahem." Sakura fidgeted a bit, she adjusted the strap a little so that her guitar fell in place comfortably in front of her and then positioned her fingers onto the first note on the fingerboard, then took a deep, long breath before she began.

Naruto was impressed, with himself (being her sensei and all), but mostly with Sakura, though she fumbled through many of the notes, and her rhythm was either too slow or fast, he could tell she had worked hard to get where she was.

When she was finished Sakura heavily exhaled as if she had been holding her breath the entire time, then she smiled wearily with a little flush in her cheeks as Lee jumped at the opportunity to applaud her eagerly.

"Thanks Sakura." Shikamaru told her as she left the stage, "Next, Uchiha Sasuke."

"Uchiha?" Neji muttered to himself with a gracefully raised eyebrow, he watched closely as the raven haired teen stepped calmly up onto the stage and towards the waiting amplifier. Neji's brow furrowed now in contemplation, _Uchiha. That's strange._

When Sasuke was plugged in, guitar slung and ready Shikamaru spoke, "So, a few questions, as we don't really know you and all." he said with his usual bored drawl, though he was a relieved that Sasuke was the last of them, the monotonousness of the auditions were getting to him (actually he wanted it to end the moment it began). "How'd you learn?"

"Self taught." Sasuke answered and Naruto's eyes were practically shut from glaring so hard, his arms folded as he leaned back in his chair. Sasuke hadn't looked at him once since he had meet him at the door and for some reason every time Naruto thought of this his blood boiled and he felt annoyed enough to throw a tantrum. _What the fuck was his problem?_

"Okay." Shikamaru said, "How long have you been playing?"

"Five years."

"Do you have any stage experience?"

"No."

"Can you sing back up?"

"I don't sing."

"If you get into the band we will need you to sing a little with Neji."

"I don't sing." Sasuke repeated, his voice a bit deeper but with the same unbending tone as he did before. Shikamaru rose one of his sharp eyebrows either from amusement or slight irritation. The silence in the room had been gripped lightly with tension and just a tang of expectancy as Sasuke slid his idle fingers smoothly over the guitar strings, it was obvious the questions were over and he was ready to start.

"You can play." Shikamaru told him and the raven haired one's body shifted as he moved into his playing position, his feet slightly apart as Sasuke leaned his slender form into the instrument, waist angled against the back of the guitar in such a way that left only carnal suggestions and caused the two girls in the room cheeks to be dusted with a little pink. Sasuke's bangs shadowed his eyes from view as he looked down to supervise his positions on the fret and then he began playing. Naruto rolled his eyes, _he thinks he's so cool._

A few minutes later Sasuke was finishing up the solo from the song that Shikamaru had played to end their last show at Tsunade's club/casino, he played it perfectly but with a little difference that was the mark of his own personal style. Sakura, Ten Ten, and even Kiba were blushing, eyes glazed with amazement and shy lusty thoughts; it wasn't just the sound of him playing but the sight of it as well.

Naruto looked at them a little disgusted at his friends, what were they seeing? _he wasn't that good._

When Sasuke was finished he allowed himself a knowing, near smug smirk. "Thanks." Shikamaru told him, "All of you hold on a bit while we talk about it." he said to all seven.

Then the band brought their heads together, Naruto and Kiba got out of their seats to stoop in the center of where Jiraiya, Neji and Shikamaru had leaned over their chair's backs.

"Well?" Shikamaru asked implying that they just say who they thought was the best.

"Uchiha." Jiraiya said without hesitation.

"Uchiha too." Kiba.

"Hm, Uchiha." Neji.

"I'm gonna have to say the same." Shikamaru.

"Sakura." Naruto said and they all looked at him, each with their own version of disbelief on their face. Naruto's eyes went over their faces before he frowned, "Well, I would have said Sai but he's kinda weird."

"Naruto." Neji began with measured patience, "If we are choosing on the premises of experience, skill and knowledge of our band's music, Haruno Sakura would not be best."

Kiba turned to the blonde one and nodded courteously, "Right, what he said."

Naruto creased his brows in determination, "Well then, I chose Lee."

"Naruto." Neji said his name in the same tone that he would resolutely say "no".

"Kankuro."

"Naruto."

"Fine! Sai."

Shikamaru closed his eyes with a soft groan, he already felt like he was overexerting himself for the day, this was making things even more dragged out.

"Naruto." Jiraiya finally spoke up, "It's four to one, besides he's the best in the group, put your feels aside-"

"You're not even a part of the band!" Naruto pushed, Jiraiya's eyes flashed and he leaned closer to his nephew's face. "I'm still the manager!" he growled.

"Who cares what you are!" Naruto stood up so that he was looking down at the man.

"Okay!" Kiba stood too and said loud enough to cut through Jiraiya's next fuming words and gain the attention of everyone in the room. "So our choice is Uchiha Sasuke. Thanks everyone for coming!"

* * *

Next chapter: Naruto really can't sing (makes Sasuke's ears bleed), Shino turns Kiba into a girl (not literally, sorry to all of you who just got really excited). And the band embarks!

(you see that button under there, that has review stamped on it, it wants you, it needs you. so just press it. you know you want to, you know you want to tell me what you think, go ahead. _press me! press me!_ do you hear that? _press me! _ it's coming from the review button, you better do as it says.)


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: **

Me: Naruto say it.

Naruto:(shakes head and pouts)No!

Me: Saaay it…

Naruto:No

Me:Naruto!

Naruto:I said no!

Me: say it or I'll turn my next fic into an Itanaru rape, accidental impreg! And no body doubles!!!

Naruto: (gasps and garbs his ass protectively) I, the blonde one are not owned by Aidan Artimis(hesitates) though I am her bitch.

Me: Naruto…

Naruto: I mean, _proudly_ her little kitsune bitch.(blush)

Read, enjoy, review!!

Chapter 4

Monday morning, the day before they left Konoha, Sasuke was back at the studio apartment for his bands last rehearsal, and his finale lesson with the ex-guitarist of HLV. Shikamaru had spent almost every waking hour for the past two days going over each song they planned on playing on the tour. During that time he was all the more convinced that the Uchiha was the right choice as a last minute replacement, besides the attitude, he was a fast learner, which meant that Shikamaru didn't have to unnecessarily repeat anything, and he was dedicated. Again, if it wasn't for the attitude, he might actually begin to like this kid.

"So, you comin to the farewell dinner tonight?" he asked the one mentioned as the raven haired one was picking soft notes on his guitar absentmindedly.

Sasuke glanced at Shikamaru who was leaned against the open window sill casually exhaling the smoke from his cigarette out into the fresh air. He recalled the annoying blonde ranting earnestly about some dinner party with the long haired Hyuuga (who in turn complained faintly about doing all the planning himself). The band and all their friends were going to be there, better yet, it was to be held in a ramen restaurant. _Oh joy!_

"No." he said.

Shikamaru shrugged, he thought that he should remind the guy that he was now part of a group of people who he was going to be spending a large majority of the next two months in a clustered bus and shared hotel rooms with. The Uchiha hadn't really spoken in depth with any of the members, besides him, and, he already had the loudest, most hyperactive member irked by his every movement, going to this dinner might lighten the tension a little (or make things worst), but Sasuke seemed just as stubborn as Naruto and Shikamaru didn't _want_ to have the energy.

"Let's finish off the last song." he told the raven as he oust his cancer stick on the sill, Shikamaru slung his guitar and started playing, that's another thing he liked, he only had to play a piece once and the Uchiha could play it back perfectly.

Meanwhile, on the homemade stage, Neji was also practicing on his keyboard when Naruto entered the room through his bedroom door holding a crumpled piece of note paper. "I found it!" he shouted to Neji and Sasuke glanced at the blond one then put his attention back to Shikamaru.

Neji took the paper from Naruto and looked over the messy words and scribbled music notes around the edges that he would have to somehow interpret and play. "This is the new song?"

"Yeah." Naruto grin, he was a little proud of himself, mostly for finding it, the song had been lost in his room for a few days now.

"It's about time; I was beginning to think you had writer's block or something." Kiba told him from the couch where he was lounging and being the only person not practicing.

"Damare!" Naruto shot at him, he didn't have writer's block, nothing that bad, but something was up with his creative energy these days and Naruto was slowly beginning to understand what. He was running out of steam, after more than a year of venting years of teenage angst and bad experiences in the form of song (and of course rocking out on stage like the hyperactive beast he was) Naruto was finally seeing the end of such emotions, he almost couldn't believe it, but he was actually getting over his past, his parents deaths, his lonely childhood, all the scummy memories that used to stick onto like a thick layer of mud had disintegrated, now that he had friends and something to live for in the band there was nothing left to complain about.

He watched Neji's lithium eyes follow the words on the paper quickly as he thought about it. Sasuke's attention had wavered again, _the dobe wrote the band's music?_ He couldn't believe it.

"So that's the first part, until the chorus where you replace F major with B7." Shikamaru said gaining Sasuke's attention again. "Let me hear it." and Sasuke tried to remember what he'd heard.

Neji gave Naruto back his song and placed slender fingers on the correct keys and then nodded for him to begin.

"Yeah, it goes kinda slowly." Naruto explained to the brunette and he opened his mouth to sing as Neji played the first notes.

"Wait!"Naruto was stopped instantly by Kiba, he looked at the spiky-haired teen for a problem, then watched as Kiba placed the head phones of his Ipod into his ears then said, "Go ahead." Naruto glared muttering curses then went back to where he left off, about to sing. Neji began again:

"_I can't get out,_

_I need to break out,"_

Sasuke's fingers stumbled over his guitar strings jerking the notes he was playing to a discordant stall, he swung his head around to see where the sound was coming from.

"_I'm suffocating here, the malice -"_ it was the Dobe, "-_the lies are a stifling poison_," Kiba turned the volume higher on his Ipod, Sasuke couldn't help but cringe a little-

"_The pepper bombs of reality,_

_Stroking the chaos inside to grow-"_

The only ones who seemed unaffected by the sound that crawled out of the blonde one's mouth, was Shikamaru and Neji. Sasuke closed his eyes in an attempt to concentrate better on ignoring.

"_So it can eat me alive and send me-"_ the dark one's eyebrow's twitched as the screeching went to a higher pitch. "_Back to hell where all this could be good for something."_

"Dobe!!" Sasuke barked, he couldn't bare it any longer, Naruto looked over at him angrily for interrupting, "Nani!?!"He shouted angrily and Sasuke inwardly smirked, _hn, he knows his name._

"What are you trying to do, kill me?!" Sasuke told him, his dark eyes glaring into the reflective deep, his ears were ringing and he wondered if it was blood he felt in them. Kiba, who had paused his music the moment the angry blonde had turned onto the Uchiha, snorted and Naruto shot him a heated glance.

"What the fuck are you trying to say?" Naruto asked aggressively and Neji watched as the drummer unconsciously began to step towards the object of his passionate loathing. He frowned and got to his feet to prepare himself to hold Naruto back when he pounced on Sasuke, he hope that Shikamaru was also prepared as Neji was confident that Kiba would most likely delight in just being an audience to the oncoming hostility.

Sasuke smirked, the same way he did that day of the auditions, right before he gave the dumb blonde his new title. "It's a good thing you're stuck on the drums dobe, cause you sound like a dying animal. Now hold back on the squawking I'm trying to figure this out."

Naruto's eyes widened again in disbelief at the obnoxiousness of the raven haired one, Sasuke could practically see the dobe's bright blonde hair stand on end the same way a cat's would when it was threatened, then the snarl that curled at Naruto's lips showing abnormally sharp canine's, the six weird marks on his cheeks rose like whiskers, the color of his eyes deepen even, to a blue that Sasuke again couldn't find words for, he looked like a perfect beast, not an ugly one, more like a very angry--(thinks of a word) fox. But the raven haired one was both entertained and annoyingly dissatisfied, when the blonde one got provoked that fast it almost made it not worth it, he realized that he preferred when these antagonistic interactions with the dunce lasted.

"Sasuke!" was all Naruto could say, his anger had choked all the words in him and his mind was hotly blinded with many enticing and violent possibilities that all ended in Sasuke's untimely death.

Sasuke knitted his brow suddenly, he didn't have time for this, they were leaving tomorrow and he had decided, as Uchihas did all things, to take this seriously. He wouldn't look like a fool on stage, not because of Naruto.

"Are we done?" he asked Shikamaru without shifting his glare off of Naruto (no way he was backing down!).

"Yeah, that's about it." Shikamaru told him unconcernedly.

"Hn." Sasuke finally broke the glaring contest and turned to grab his guitar case and then headed for the door, Naruto too stormed backed into his room and both doors banged shut, one after the other.

"This could be problematic." Neji observed aloud.

Shikamaru shrugged as he lit another cigarette, "It's not my problem, I'm not in the band anymore."

~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~

"Lookin good Naruto-kun!" Ino asserted as she gave the blonde one a smart smile and wink, he came to sit between her and Sakura. Ichiraku was fairly crowded tonight, Naruto observed the busy but professionally calm waiters and waitresses as they moved between the tables doing their jobs, memories of working there as a younger teen whispering in his mind, it wasn't exactly a restaurant back then, more like a ramen shack. He wondered if the old man would still give him free ramen if he washed the dishes…

Sakura had turned to look at Naruto because of Ino's comment but her smile dissolved and she rolled her eyes when she saw Naruto's orange hoody that was spotted with graceful black butterflies and sharp gothic writing. She gave Ino a weary look and Ino frowned.

"What?! It's a great hoody!" she said in her defense.

"Ino, when are you going to stop forcing Naruto to wear your clothes?"

"Hey, I don't _force_ him to do anything, he agreed to be my company's spokesperson/promoter/model, and he gets paid."

"With free clothes?" Sakura chimed sarcastically.

Naruto folded his arms in between the two girls as they fought over him, his eyes lingering on the menu before him, he wondered why Ino and Sakura don't just make-out already, he knew they wanted to! Ino was in an arts school in Konoha studying fashion design and merchandising, the same university Chouji attended for culinary arts, she had just started her own label called "Papillon Noir" (Chouji came up with the title), thing was that everything in her line was orange because Naruto so far was her only customer (though customer might be the wrong word to use as he got most of the stuff free for his promotion work-Ino just thought it was a miracle she hadn't gone bankrupt yet). The drummer couldn't exactly remember why or when he had decided to take up such an irritating and imperative role in Ino's venture, it was probably all the free orange stuff, and they really didn't look half bad.

A waitress came to take their orders and the table quieted a bit as everyone took their turn, Naruto for the first time since he came looked around at everyone: Chouji sat next to Shikamaru ordering what he thought was the best for both of them, Kiba was leaning against his boyfriend Shino to peer into the shaded teen's menu even though he had one of his own, and Ten Ten, Neji and Lee were catching up with Hinata as she told them softly about her psychology classes. Naruto grinned as he quietly savored his friend's presence. "Hmm, everyone's here."

"Not everyone." Kiba spoke and Naruto gazed at his sly smirk, "Our new guitarist is absent."

The blonde one's brows turned down as he flushed from the angry memories and at Kiba's mischievousness in bringing it up. Naruto was doing just fine not thinking about that baka ka for once.

"Oh right!" Ino looked up from her menu and her eyes went over each HLV member, "Where is he?"

"He's not coming." Shikamaru told her matter-of-factly.

Ino frowned, "Why not?"

"Cause he has a stick stuck up his ass." Naruto grumbled.

"Naruto!" Sakura said disapprovingly as Ino chuckled.

"Sorry, it's more like a tree trunk." he added.

"Is he that bad?" Ino asked.

"He is a bit-temperamental." Neji said, _especially when it comes to Naruto_.

"Oh, but he's _really_ hot!" Sakura told Ino touching her hand and moving closer the way all girls did when they were discussing an interesting topic (boys).

"Really! Too bad I won't get to see him if he's not coming tonight." Ino said, but Sakura just smiled dangerously at her friend and turned in her chair so she could rumble through her purse which hung besides her.

"Thank you." the waitress said as she took back their menus, Naruto heard the strangest high-pitched sound that was a lot like giggling and looked up to see Shino locking lips with a blushing Kiba. He grimaced but was then suddenly shoved further back in his seat as Sakura plopped down half her body on his lap so that both she and Ino could look into the screen of her cell phone.

"Hey, Hey watch the elbows!" he shifted his legs so that Sakura was no longer impaling his groin. But Ino also draped her arm around him bringing herself closer so that she could see better. Naruto felt claustrophobic and wondered why all his female friends thought that because he was gay he had no personal space bubble when it came to them, but he watched the screen too nonetheless, out of curiosity.

Sakura pressed play and a familiar scene appeared in the small window, Sasuke playing that day of the audition, Naruto leaned closer as his moth fell open, _the bitch got the entire thing on her cell phone!!_

Ino gasped as she blinked almost flirtingly at the video, "Oo, bishonen!"

"I know, and he's so cool too!" Sakura blushed from the actual memories, soon Ten Ten and Hinata were also leaning in over Naruto's head to watch the video and Shikamaru couldn't help but feel sorry for the guy, he looked like he was under a teepee of girls.

"Ahh! I can't breathe!" Naruto exclaimed and he began pushing them away, the girls scattered, Ten Ten and Hinata went back to their seats and Sakura fell into hers and off Naruto's lap.

"When did you even record that?!" Naruto asked her "I was looking at you the entire time. Where was the camera?"

Sakura just grinned innocently as she put index finger against her chin, "I have my ways."

Naruto moved away a little, he didn't see why they had to behave like that, so annoying, what was all the fuss about!?

"You d-don't seem to be very-fond of him-Naruto-kun."Hinata's delicate voice was almost drowned out by the general sounds of the restaurant.

Naruto shrugged, "None of you really know the guy, he's an asshole most of the time." Then realization abruptly bore its smirking, raven-haired head and Naruto's eyes widen till they looked like genuine sapphire on his face, and then he groaned, "Ga! And I have to spend two whole months with him, urgh!" he locked his fingers between messy blonde stands as he held his head.

Hinata couldn't help but giggle at the blonde one's animated expressions, "He can't be-that bad Na-Naruto-kun, you should give-give him a chance." Hinata realized that she was being rather straight forward and her head fell as she gazed at her plate and simultaneously began fidgeting with her fingers as she finished the sentence.

Naruto looked at her and sighed, mostly because he didn't understand Neji's cousin's shyness but also cause he was actually considering what she was saying.

"I think their made for each other." Naruto almost pulled a neck muscle when he turned sharply to glare at the person who had the nerve to utter such an illicit sentence.

_Kiba_

The teen grinned exposing rows of sharp, wolf-like teeth in the face of the blonde one's 'death stare'. Kiba thought, _like he could ever hurt a thing with those cerulean eyes_. Kiba tangled his arm around Shino's bringing himself even closer to his boyfriend.

"You should see them babe, they look so cute together." Kiba said looking into Shino's unmoving face, the only thing that expressed emotions on Shino were his sharp eyebrows just above his dark shades, one of which was now cocked in amusement. Kiba nuzzled Shino and said softly so that his warm breath aroused the other's neck, "Their almost as cute as us."

"Hm." Shino said before he shifted his head to clasp his lips on Kiba's again and the bassist let out a little squeak then giggled as he felt his bottom lip be bitten on gently.

Naruto sweat dropped as he witnessed this, "Jeez, you know, when Shino's around you turn into a real uke." Naruto muttered his observation which Kiba heard just fine and pulled away immediately from his lover's lips snarling. Suddenly the table jerked up causing all the utensils, especially the glass ones, to lift a little over an inch into the air and then fall back noisily. Hinata gasped and Naruto felt the solid kick that had caused the quake under the table against his knee.

"What did you say?!" Kiba shouted.

"Argh!!" Naruto jumped and lifted both feet onto his chair, he knew Kiba well, if he had the opportunity he would inflict more hurt, Naruto pouted and rubbed his aching knee.

Kiba watched him for a moment then sneered as he leaned over the table closer to the blonde one who was annoyingly out of his reach, "At least I can still make you cry."

Naruto paused in shock then he too came closer so that he could shout defensively, "You've never made me cry!"

Chouji chuckled and Naruto's head snapped in his direction, "He's never made me cry!" he said again with a touch of desperation in his voice that made Ten Ten have to hold back a blush because the blond one looked so guiltily cute.

Shikamaru sighed sharply, "Would you kids use your inside voices" he said a bit irritated, "We're in a nice place for Christ's sake."

"But-But-" Naruto stuttered as he looked between Chouji's smile to Kiba's content grin.

"You must feel lucky." Ten Ten said softly to Neji who was watching Naruto hopelessly.

The brunette looked at his friend, raising a brow at her words and her wide knowing smile.

Ten Ten just chuckled as if he was being silly and intentionally ignorant.

"You'll be spending a whole two months with Naruto, maybe you'll even get to share hotel rooms." she winked suggestively.

Neji almost choked on air, again, as his eyes widened along with his mouth and for a full two seconds Hyuuga Neji was at an utter loss for words.

Luckily, he recovered.

"Ten Ten!" he said sternly with a serious frown, "Don't be ridiculous, and stop speaking so loudly." Neji's silvery white eyes scanned the table for ease droppers but everyone's attention was on the approaching waitress with a platter of some of their orders in her palms.

Within a minute each had their order and was ready to dig in, Naruto snapped his chopsticks apart and smiled greedily down at his bowl, he got the largest possible order along with Chouji, but stopped when he realized that everyone seemed to be waiting for something, more surprising most of them were staring expectantly at him.

"What?" he asked.

Ino rolled her eyes, "Well Naruto, this is your farewell dinner, you've to got say something." _Oh_, it _was_ _his_ idea, which he thought at the time was a good one until he now had to play public speaker and come up with an oration on the spot. He glanced at Neji ready to give the brunette those pleading eyes that seemed to work each time, he might have introduced the idea of the dinner but Neji was the planner, besides, he was more eloquent than Naruto. But Neji for some reason that he had obviously missed looked annoyed and when his cloudy eyes meet the blonde's he looked away quickly with a skittish somewhat pained expression that Naruto in his current already distracted state couldn't decipher.

He scratched the hair just above the back of his neck, "Hmmm," Everyone was watching him, their eyes left no backlash of uneasiness on him though, these were his buddies, the ones that won't prone to broody personalities smiled at him affectionately, patient, he felt like he could say anything. "I'm really going to miss ya'll, we all would, though it's only for two months, aaannd- Sakura don't worry we won't do too many stupid stuff, Ino I'll wear your cloths every day-"

"Don't forget the hand outs." she said.

"-I won't, we'll bring back-um what are those things called again, when you travel-and-sorven-"

"Souvenirs?"Shino said flatly.

"Yeah-that. And Shikamaru we'll take lots of pictures and videos so you won't miss a thing." Shikamaru shrugged, _you better_. "And when we get back the Hidden Leaf Village would be even more famous than we were before" Naruto said the last part of his 'speech' with such a sudden turn into conviction that only he could accomplish, Lee's black board eyebrows made a stern V as he clutched his fist to his heart

"Well said Naruto-kun," he began, "I too will surely feel your absence from the very core of my burly chest, but will be reminded and inspired every day by the purpose of your youthful sojourn, I too in this time shall thrive in my own betterment, push forward in my own journey along life's trying path!"

"…"

"Oookay." Ino broke the awkward silence and pushed on a smile as she picked up her chopsticks and turned to Naruto, "So, let's eat?"

And everyone chimed, "Itadakimasu!"

~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~

"So this is what you meant." Neji said to Naruto, it was almost a hiss as the Hyuuga's voice was suddenly oppressed when he opened his mouth to talk by the weight of his growing impatience. Kiba never realized it before but the graceful and solemn brunette really didn't like waiting, which in a few seconds, after he thought about it, made sense as it must coincide with the whole control freak/anal thing Neji had going sometimes.

But even Kiba was beginning to get restless; he leaned back against Shino with a sigh and looked up into the quiet boys face in the same way Shikamaru would look at his clouds.

They were waiting at the bridge for their ever punctual bus driver to arrive, Naruto, Kiba, Neji and Sasuke, their luggage sprawled around them in the hot noon sun looking like a group of homeless rejects. Kakashi was supposed to arrive at the agreed hour of 9:00am and after three hours and countless unsuccessful cell phone calls and edgy, tongue biting voice messages left, all Neji could do was give the slow approach shiny black bus a glare that was hot enough to burn a hole through the thick windows and forehead of the person in the driver's seat like a laser sniper gun.

Kakashi screeched to a stop right in front of them and the mechanical door hissed open to show a lazily smiling face, but the grey haired man's grin faded a little when he saw the sweaty and dangerously angry faces that glared at him, he looked over each one with his good eye (the other was under a patch) and then asked, "Where's Jiraiya?"

"He left," Neji had to mentally compose himself before he spoke, though his voice still had a bite to it that made Naruto squirm a bit where he stood behind the Hyuuga, usually that voice was used on him as Naruto believed that only he could push Neji this far, until now of course.

Kakashi almost looked hurt by this news, "Really?"

"Yes, he left in his van with the equipment, _three hours ago._" Again Naruto took a step back when he heard the barely controlled venom in the last three words. Kakashi looked thoughtful, Kiba's annoyance left him as he found this now very entertaining. "Where were you?" Neji asked.

"Hmm, well, I was on my way here when I-"

"Err-Neji" Naruto stopped him, "Just so you know this could lead us nowhere."

"Naruto's right Neji-kun, we should get going, we're already behind schedule."Kakashi said and Naruto saw the flash in Neji's eyes and lived for one entire second in the tense possibility that the self-possessed Hyuuga was about to fly into a rage and the world was going to come to a firm end. But right before he fell off the brink Neji caught himself, Naruto noticed the subtle signs in the slender brunette's body that showed this and spoke up to distract him, "Hey let's put our stuff in the trunk thingy." he pointed to the small compartment on the bus's side which he didn't know the name of.

Neji glanced at the blonde one who smiled nervously at him and his stare soften,"Hn." was all he expressed before he did as Naruto suggested.

Naruto stepped up to the door as the others were preoccupied with their luggage, "What are you doing here?" he asked Kakashi and the older man raised a grey eyebrow.

"I'm your tour bus driver Naruto, I'd think the title would be self explanatory-"

"That's not what I mean! Aren't you supposed to be at school? Did you get fired or something?" Naruto smirked, if he did it would serve him right, Kakashi was his old History teacher in secondary school, he was a good sensei when he wasn't coming to class half an hour late, making out with the other teachers behind every presumably abandoned corner and reading crude books in front of the students with that weird glint in his hooded eyes, he was like a quiet version of Jiraiya (those are the worst kinds) really, Naruto was surprised his sensei eluded prison much less keep a job.

"Hm, Iruka took the term off to visit his ailing grandfather so I had no real reason to be there. And well, as I have no income at the time to support myself and your uncle is an old friend of mine, I thought I'd give this a try. Really I just had nothing else to do until my Ruka comes back."

"Hm, figured."

"You're in my way, dobe." Naruto heard the tenor monotone that made his blood just shot instantly to boiling point and he spun around to find the obsidian bulbs right behind him and unnervingly close, for a moment he just stared at how large he never noticed Sasuke's eyes were, they were black with a shadow of grey that deepened them and made them shimmer. _What the hell, he shouldn't be close enough for me to notice that!_ He stepped back.

"Don't call me that." Naruto said with the dark tone of a threat.

"Hn, make me." Sasuke replied just as darkly as he stepped past the blonde one and went into the bus.

"Urrh." Naruto growled as he watched him disappear inside.

"Naruto your luggage." Neji called him.

"Oh, right." Naruto picked up his things and took them to where the others waited, Kiba and Shino were making out again, savoring their last kiss until two months from now and the bassist was taking in all he could get with his cloths still on, Naruto grimaced then feigned a gag as Kiba's moans became louder.

Naruto stuffed the larger pieces of his luggage into the compartment as Neji watched worrying that the way the blonde put it in the door would either burst open while they were driving or it would never close.

"I love you." Kiba whispered softly against Shino's lips and he was replied with another deep, long kiss, his mouth filling with his boyfriend's euphorically skillful tongue-

"Hehehe." Kiba's heaven was interrupted by Naruto's ever familiar mischievous chuckle and they parted so that Kiba could glare at him, his eyes immediately fell to a steely, suitcase that very much resembled the ones he saw in spy movies crammed with money or a desired item.

He looked from it to the blonde one's wide smile and then asked, "What's that for?"

"Oh nothing," Naruto's smile turned mischievous and a little shady, "Just, I wouldn't fall asleep on the bus, if I were you Kiba. Hehe"

Kiba just stared at the blonde one blankly, weighing if he was really serious or not, then he turned to the teen that still held onto his waist, displaying to him pouted red lips, from all the good bye kisses, and shimmering dark eyes, "Shino, buggy-boy, tell Naruto not to pull any pranks on me while I'm asleep." Shino's head suddenly turned slowly but steadily until his endlessly black, circular shades reflected Naruto's stunned then avoidant face, the blonde one shuddered, and the suitcase fell out of his hand and to the ground noisily.

"Sorry." he muttered before he stumbled quickly to the open bus door, he was sure that Shino's invisible but tangibly deathly gaze would be haunting him for the next few nights.

~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~

That last piece was so- hard- to- write, hmmm, it probably sucks, too bad I feel really Shikamaru-ish right now, re-writing would be sooo troublesome…I might just be a little over analytical though. Tell me what you think, so please review!


	5. Chapter 5

'Sup, Aidan here, just stopped by to caution that the story is about to pick up, this chapter is very long (16 pages!) and it ends…intriguingly. hope you enjoy, and "The Teme Song" was written by Samsal. Thanks Sam-chan.

Disclaimer: doth not own the blonde one (at least not in this world…)

Chapter five

Jiraiya burst into the silent dressing room with a writhing red creature in his arms. He held Naruto's hands tightly behind his back as the blonde one, who was shirtless; sweat sleeked and flushed, snarled, cursed and screamed.

"Let go of me! Just let me kick his ass! Please!" Naruto tugged his arms as he struggled to wriggle out of the older man's firm grip; he kicked both legs into the air as he was for a moment completely suspended by his uncle. Neji paced into the room, sweatdroping and panting, just in time to see Jiraiya lift the cursing blonde one again and then push him onto the sofa that was on the opposite side of the room.

"Argh!!" Naruto growled when he landed onto the firm softness of the couch, scrambled and then got right back onto his feet only to be shoved back down again, his frustration rose fast, like a thermometer dipped in liquid metal, at the treatment and he shouted, "Leave me alone!!!" and he glared intensely at his uncle hating the fact that he was much larger and stronger than him. Jiraiya just studied the blonde one's face, the pure crimson fury that was painted upon his eyes and flushed in his cheeks; he was silently shocked by how different Naruto could be when he was truly angry.

"Just let me kick his ass!!!" Naruto shouted again.

"Kick whose ass patsukin?!" The fair haired one's body stiffened when he heard Sasuke's harsh voice. The Uchiha was also being restraint, by Kiba, who held firmly to his shoulders from behind, though not with as much force as Jiraiya, obviously because Sasuke wasn't kicking and screaming but striding steadily and determined toward the livid crimson fox on the couch.

"Your ass baka ka!" Naruto shot up to his feet and was going to run up to meet the approaching Uchiha but he collided face first into Jiraiya's broad chest, almost ricocheting onto the sofa again, as the older man stood like a wall between the boys.

"I'd like to see you try dobe!!" Sasuke said, he had stopped a foot or two behind the tall man, his brows turned down and his obsidian eyes glared heatedly forward forming a scowl that did nothing to taint his handsome features if not making him look the more darker and sensuous. Naruto didn't back down, his bare chest rose and fell rhythmically, every pec and ab muscle clearly and firmly defined, displaying how tight and powerful the usually cheerful blonde's body was. Sasuke tugged sharply his shoulders out of Kiba's grip and the bassist did nothing more than step back, his frowning eyes displaying slight worry.

It had all started with the blonde one of course.

This was their last show in Suna, and they were onto the sixth song, only half way through with the show. Naruto was brought to a level of excitement that was way above average, as he usually did, when the crowd began cheering in awe of Sasuke's solo. The blonde one became so roused up that he pulled off his t-shirt and threw it at the crowd. Kiba had to induce every ounce of self-control in his body to prevent himself from falling onto the stage floor in hysterics when he saw the orange piece of clothing land squarely on Sasuke's head, enveloping the raven haired one's face completely. The blind came so suddenly that the Uchiha abruptly stopped playing to yank the foreign object off of himself, only to see the color and instantly turn onto the blonde one. Neji knew that this wasn't comparable to the other dozen or so arguments that the two band members had shared during the week, no, this was much more fueled, like an eruption, the result of a collection of individual events that built up to Sasuke finally losing it and kicking the blonde one's precious drums over. It was just one kick but the entire set fell off of its stand to crash noisily onto the floor making the crowd, to Neji's astonishment, scream ecstatically. Naruto's face flushed and before the other two band members could even recover from the sudden shift in the atmosphere of the stage, Naruto was on top of the new guitarist clawing for a grip around the Uchiha's _perfect little neck!_, as Sasuke grabbed a hand full of golden hair and pounded his fist into Naruto's _thick skull!_. The guards that were lined about the stage were too busy preventing crazed fans from climbing up to join in the rump and controlling the mosh pit that had suddenly turned violent, to part the two instigators on stage.

Now Neji watched with troubled lithium eyes as the two glowered at each other like they were casting curses of slow, painful deaths on the other.

"You're a dead-last dunce!!" Sasuke spat with more emotion than he had said anything in a very long time which only made his voice deepen with disgust.

"And you're a bastard!!" Naruto screamed pointing at the dark one a meter from him, _oh if Jiraiya would just budge…_

"Ok, it's time for this to end." the person just mentioned said and Neji thought that it was about time. Jiraiya had said the sentence with a clear, stern voice that made Naruto unconsciously shift away from his uncle and Sasuke glanced up to look into his manager's austere expression.

"Uchiha, back off, Naruto, sit down and shut up." Jiraiya stated, there was no anger or impatience, in fact the usually jovial man's face was indiscernibly calm, his eyes certain. Kiba would have found this side of Jiraiya frightening if he wasn't already on the edge from the tension to think about the peculiarity of it. Neji just watched apprehensively, he studied the blonde one as he hesitated for just a moment, glancing up at his uncle, then dropped onto the sofa, still intense on the Uchiha who had also taken a couple of reluctant steps back, his face now flawless and stoic.

They were both still ruffled though, Sasuke's shirt was torn at the collar and he had blushing lines on the pale flesh around his neck, Naruto's bottom lip was plumper than usual, blood dripped out of a small split.

Jiraiya folded his arms and sighed, and then the room became tensely silent. "Are we going back out?" Neji asked, his resonant voice echoing a little, shattering the quiet, he could hear the muffled hum of the crowd that was still outside.

Jiraiya shook his head, "The shows over, we should all go back to the hotel."

Naruto's eyes widened and his expression finally softened when he looked up at him, "But-"

"Now." Jiraiya said, the command seemed to be directed to all of them, not just Naruto in particular, so Kiba was the first to leave quietly. Followed by an emotionless Sasuke.

Naruto huffed as he watched the Uchiha's back recede and then was gone, he refused to look up at Jiraiya, not even Neji was spared, he just glared, fist clenched at the doorway, he was calming down, he knew that, but he wanted to cling onto his anger, let it boil forth and scorch the baka to death. Every time he thought about Sasuke he felt something tug at his insides and a scream collected in his throat begging to be released.

"Naruto, calm down." Neji told him unnaturally soft, the brunette noted that he almost sounded tender and gave himself a chastising mental kick.

"This is turning into a problem." he heard Jiraiya say to no one in particular, their manager still had his arms folded and that frighteningly uncharacteristic expression on his face, Neji almost wished that he would just smile, but this expression on Jiraiya's face, for some reason it rang a bell, an exceptionally small one, but Neji could only define it as mildly familiar. "And this problem is beginning to affect the band." the older man said. Now even Naruto's eyes were on him, one of his pale eyebrows cocked, Neji noticed that the blonde one no longer had that red tint to his skin, his entire body had softened.

"You two should go off to bed," this suggestion was finally directed to them and not just left in the air, "We're leaving bright and early for the Mist." and for a moment in which both Naruto and Neji went pale, Jiraiya looked at his nephew and chuckled. _What the heck was that!_ Naruto scowled at him and stood making his way to the door without peeling his eyes off of his uncle but as he was about to turn the corner he heard the most eardrum-rupturing scream he had ever had to endure in his life and then felt the wind knocked out of him as a group of girls stampeded into their dressing mistaking Naruto for a doormat.

"NEEEJIIIII!!!!" the herd of fangirls shrieked together and the Hyuuga's heart stopped and for a fleeting second he was entirely terrified not knowing where to go or what to do, Neji recovered but had to will his legs to move as they seemed slow to join the rest of his body in its panicked scramble for the closet behind the sofa. Naruto witnessed his band mate, from where he was sore on the floor, lift his graceful limbs to jump over the couch, his hair flying behind him, opened the door, slipped in and shut it close just in time for the girls to collide into it screaming and pounding. Naruto shivered, _Jeez._

Jiraiya was blushing at the opportunity that had just presented itself like a free buffet, not even a glimmer of the previous tension was left on his face as he grinned and ballerinaed over to the begging girls.

"Neji-kun please come out! We love you." they cooed like innocent angles causing Neji to shudder inside the closet and step fearfully away from the door.

"Girls, girls give Neji a break huh? He just did a concert; he's a little worn out." Jiraiya moved in between them and the closed door his arms stretched as if to embrace them all.

"But-" the girls pouted up at him holding their pens, autograph books, and a few even had their underwear, to their hearts. Naruto thought that this was truly pathetic, but then sweatdropped when he saw the drool falling out of his uncle mouth.

"Jiraiya!" Neji's angry and stifled voice was barely heard behind the door, "Why won't you just tell them that I'm gay!!" Jiraiya had banged his fist on the closet when he realized what Neji was about to say, the sound overwhelmed the other half of the brunette's plead.

"What did you say Neji-kun?" one of the fangirls asked concernedly.

"Nothing, nothing. He said nothing." Jiraiya quickly answered and he began pushing the girls to the door, "Hey, how about I take you ladies outside and I'll answer any question."

The girls gasped, "About Neji-kun!?!"

"Yeeaah." Jiraiya smiled greedily and looked at Naruto before he left, "Go back to the hotel now. And don't wait up for me."

* * *

The persistent knocking drew the fair-headed one out of the bathroom, he hurriedly rapt a towel, that might have been a little too small, around his lower regions muttering about who could be coming to his room this late. Naruto opened the door to peer at a young maid who squeaked after her eyes slithered down to take in his half naked, dripping wet form, then blushed. To Naruto's surprise she bowed her head and held up the smoking mug of milk she had towards the blonde one.

"C-compliments of-of the hotel Narut-um, I mean sir." she stuttered to the ground.

Naruto grinned uncomfortably and took the mug "Err, thanks.", and he looked down at its foamy, milky substance immediately forgetting it's strange way of being presented as his mouth coincidently went dry with thirst. He glanced up only to find a pen and notepad in his face.

"Would you m-mind? Please?" the carpet was told again and Naruto worried about the sanity of his fan base.

"Sure." The maid let escape a soft scream as Naruto took and signed the book, when she got the notepad back she held it to her heart.

"Thank you sooo much Naruto-kun, and I'm really sorry." She said before she turned and ran down the hall.

Naruto's mouth fell open as he watched the dust rise up behind her, then he scowled, _sorry for what? I love giving autographs!!_ He shrugged, _weird,_ he thought as he closed the door putting the mug to his lips and downing the milk in one gulp. He put the mug on his desk next to a piece of paper that had a clustered paragraph of words written on it. The words looked as if they were engraved into the sheet thanks to Naruto's emotionally fueled writing.

He picked up the paper and reread the song; this was the first time he had looked at it since it was poured out over an hour ago.

"_In a band,_

_it's off the chain'_

_but the lead guitarist causes me pain._

_Such a bastard, such a fool._

_Why doesn't he just die!!_

_Teme teme teme teme!_

_go back where you came from _

_Teme!!_

It wasn't much of a song, it didn't even rhyme, Naruto decided that it would just be one of those that no one would ever find, though he knew that he should at the least show more sentimentality to the poem as it had helped him vent some poisonous emotions. Naruto yawned stretching his entire body, he hadn't noticed how exhausted he was, beating the living crap out of a stuck up bastard really takes a lot out of you, the blonde one smirked. His eyes were closing down on him, he yawned again and then only had time to slip on his pajama bottoms before his body crashed into sleep on his bed.

* * *

Sasuke shot a death glare with the power of the sun at the frighten maid who dropped the autograph book that was in her hand and backed away cautiously like she was in the attack radius of an volatile man-eater.

"I-I-um-I-I'm sorr-" she was cut off by the slam of the door in front of her. The dark one glowered down at the steaming cup of tea skeptically, then sat on his bed. He brooded some more before he sniffed the heavy aroma that was curling up off of the liquid, _oooh hot, minty goodness._ With his palm flat on the bottom of the cup he took a number of generous sips, then took his time opening his eyes as the tea seemed to already be in his veins, consuming his entire body in a sedating calm. Satisfied, though not showing it, Sasuke rest the cup on the bed side table and lied back on the soft hotel bed.

The dumb blonde immediately intruded his thoughts and he wondered if nothing held the annoying fox back, not even the best cup of warm mint tea he had ever had in his life. The Uchiha stifled a frustrated sigh, but as if on autopilot his mind went over what happened earlier, images of the blonde one's indescribable eyes, wide and tinged blood red by the glare of the stage lights. Scorching curses being spat out of his mouth to be drowned out by the incessantly rising roars of the rioting crowd, then the feel of gold silk clenched between his fingers, the blonde one's weight and heat burdening him and the touch of the blushing red flesh on his fists as it collided repeatedly onto the dobe's head. It was all vivid, as was another memory, that light, fluttering sensation, even in the midst of all that heavy chaos, in his stomach…it must have been caused by the excitement, he explained to himself.

Sasuke felt the sting of the scraps on his neck and chest and the softest, almost unnoticeable, hue of pink shaded the dark one's cheeks and he smirked. He couldn't believe he kicked the dunce's drums over, worst of all, fought with him on stage in front of all those people. He blamed Naruto of course, it was all that dumbass's fault not watching where he was shedding his shitty clothes. But still, Sasuke felt something weightless in his chest, just a little, kind of like a bubble (or at least that was all he would acknowledge)

* * *

Naruto was awaken by the sound of his door again, this time though it wasn't tentative, repetitive knocking, but someone was full out pounding their fists on his locked door. It wasn't until the abuser started shouting, "Dobe! Dobe get your dunce ass up!" did he really wake up.

"What did you say!!?" Naruto growled at the very ticked off looking Uchiha, who was still in his sleeping wear, as he yanked open his door.

For a less than a nano-second Sasuke's obsidians, against his will, took in the dobe's bare chest, the still inexplicable sleep heavy eyes (he stubbornly refused to just call them blue or any other trivial color), the pillow styled hair and the line of dried spittle beside the pink plump lips, and he told himself, sternly, that he had no comment. The dark one, without warning, just grabbed a handful of Naruto's hair, and ignoring the curses and threats that were harmlessly thrown at him, pulled the dobe away with him out of his room, down the hall and into another room. Sasuke pulled the shouting fox to a coffee table and then released him.

Naruto stumbled back and rose a fist at the Uchiha menacingly while he pouted and rubbed his now aching head, "What was that for!?" he exclaimed, "You could of just told me to follow you….What's this-" Naruto took the note that Sasuke had shoved at him, on its face was Jiraiya's chibi, blushing, and some words, he read:

_Ops!_

_We have a week till our next show in the Mist, there's plenty of money for food. See you there._

_Really enjoying this, Jiraiya._

Naruto stared blankly at the note for a while and Sasuke assumed that his brain was just being slow as usual to comprehend. He patiently slipped his hands into the pockets of his pants and watched as realization gradually crept onto the dunce's face and Naruto glanced at the small role of money on the table and then back at the note again.

"What!!" the blonde dropped the letter and ran to the door that lead to Jiraiya's bed room only to find it empty inside, he slammed the door shut and ran back into the hall way and looked into Kiba's and Neji's rooms respectively. "WHAT!!!" Sasuke heard him shout this time and then Naruto came back into the Jiraiya's room holding his head, "Kuso! Kuso! Kuso! He did it again!!" he rambled angrily and Sasuke's eyebrows twitched.

"Again!? You mean your dumbass uncle did this before?"

"Hey, don't call him that!"

"I'll call him whatever I want dobe." Sasuke said threateningly, he was trying to stay calm, to keep his restraint on his voice while Naruto shouted loudly. Sasuke sighed, "Why? Why did he leave us?"

"I donno, I guess he thought that we were affecting the entire band."

Sasuke rose his eyebrow in question.

And Naruto explained, "A year ago, when we really started to take the whole band thing seriously, we had to spend all our time together and we couldn't get along, we would fight till nothing was ever done and we were going to break apart. So Jiraiya-" Naruto hesitated, he could smell the danger emanating off the Uchiha, but since when was he ever intimidated by that teme anyway! "He locked us together in his basement for a week." he finished and he watched Sasuke for a reaction.

The dark one's head was angled downward causing that ominous, shadowing effect on his face again. "You're telling me, that your stupid uncle is forcing me and you to get along by abandoning us in the middle of nowhere so we could hitchhike all the way to the Mist?!" Sasuke's voice was steadily becoming darker with every word until the last few were biting with venom, he chuckled bitterly, "He's as dumb as you."

Naruto scowled and clenched his fists as he stepped closer to the dark one, "Don't say that." he warned and his eyes widened as Sasuke lifted his head to beam equally challenging onyx gems at him.

"Make me."

Naruto was on him in an instant, his fist first colliding with the Uchiha's check making him step back, but Sasuke didn't stumble, he bit the pain and swung his leg around to meet Naruto's head, the dobe cried out and was then struck without warning again in the stomach making him double over. The fight was rough and loud, which woke up every guest on the floor, who in turn called room service, the maids that were called up eventually stumbling on the brawl, sequentially called security that kicked them out.

"But what about our luggage!!" Naruto screamed at the four large men who were walking back into the hotel, he growled in frustration and looked in the opposite direction at Sasuke's steadily receding back and was about to call for him to stop when something hit him in the back of his head and fell to the ground with two soft 'thumps'. The blonde one turned to look down at the two bag packs, one orange, and the other blue.

"This was all we found." the guard said gruffly before he walked off. Naruto grabbed up the bags and dashed quickly after the dark one.

"Sasuke! SASUKE!!" _if he screams my name out one more time_… Sasuke threaten as he continued ignoring the blonde one who was nearing,_ the whole of Suna's on a first name basis with me now,_ "Where are you going?!"

Sasuke wouldn't answer, even though he himself didn't know, he guessed that he would just-go back to his forlorn apartment and wait out till next year, he felt his insides shudder as he remembered what that was like, having absolutely nothing to do but mentally torture yourself with regret, then not regretting and regret again. He suddenly felt Naruto besides him, bent over and panting, and Sasuke realized that he had unconsciously stopped in his tracks.

"Where (pant) are you (pant) going?"

"Home." Sasuke answered off the top of his head.

Naruto paused just studying him then his face hardened and he glared, "You can't back out!" he shouted with that warning fist again and Sasuke watched it with an expression that said 'do you really want to go there again?' but the blonde one ignored it and challenged back, he wasn't just angry but Sasuke could see the disbelief in his eyes and realized that the dobe was more offended that truly hateful. He was kind of right (he couldn't admit that the dunce was 100% correct, never.), if Sasuke left it meant he was quitting, and Uchiha's Never Quit.

"Hn." The dark one looked away, smirking and he rest his hands into his pockets, "Put on a shirt dobe your scaring people away." he said before he grasped the blue bag pack off of Naruto, slung it on his own shoulder and ambled off towards a small building that had the title 'breakfast shed' over it. "You coming dunce." he said and Naruto growled again.

"Don't call me that!" he exclaimed and then ran after him.

* * *

Naruto was holding his hand out to the highway as a line of cars whizzed by in cold indifference. He was slowly losing his patience and it took a lot out of him to not scream curses at every vehicle that went by without a glance at his existence. But the driving population was not the only one who was ignoring him, Sasuke hadn't said a word to him since they had left the restaurant they had changed and picked up a quick breakfast in, he hadn't looked at the blonde one either, and his aura was as bearable as a snowstorm. And Naruto knew that it was all directed at him, he could feel Sasuke's silent curses layering his back and heavy in the air, _Jeez, that teme could really hold a grudge!_

He realized that this mood would do nothing to change the situation they were in, at this rate Naruto knew that he was going to snap at Sasuke who would just as quickly retort and they might be arrested for fighting on the side of the highway. This was the problem in the first place, their fighting! Jiraiya thought that they threatened the band, the blonde one knew that as unconventional, and sometimes illegal, as his uncle's plans might be they were usually implemented on dire occasions and so far they have turned out alright. Since Sasuke came Kiba, Neji, Shikamaru and him hadn't really fought in a really long time. Naruto's head fell as he reexamined himself and reviewed his actions these past couple of days and suddenly he chuckled making Sasuke eye him suspiciously under the blinding shadow of his bangs, the blonde one was suddenly reminded of the past, of the quick-tempered, impulsive little beast he had been (not that he wasn't one now, but he guessed he could say that he was…wiser now). He smiled mildly as Neji came to mind, Neji who taught him, among hundreds of other things, patience, to at least _try _to think before you talk and act and of course to learn from the past, _to reflect_, as the Hyuuga had put it. His reflection concluded, results: he needed to try, at least for the sake of the band.

"Hey Sasuke!" the Uchiha, to his horror and then relief, _almost_ jumped when Naruto suddenly spun around, wide charming grin, inexplicable eyes glistening in the sunlight, his cargo pants was baggy but hugged at his tan waist (1) which he could see as the fox's black shirt, with the orange cursive words and intertwining butterfly figures, only stopped an inch or two under his navel. Sasuke averted his gaze and continued with his ignoring, when the blonde one caught this he almost slugged the teme right there and then but with all his self control he stopped himself and even if it hurt, he kept his grin.

"So you wanna know how the band started?" he didn't wait for an answer, "Well, you see, I was in the school band with Neji right, and we hated each other, he was really stuck up back then cause his family's all wealthy and influential and he could play like any instrument and blah blah blah, he would just go on and on like some comic book villain ranting about his master plans. Well we fought all time, kinda like the two of us, but just we knew each other longer and I _really didn't like Neji_. Well, one day we went at it right in the class, by the way Neji could kick ass, and the old man was going to expel us, but Jiraiya was really close with him so we struck up a deal: Neji and I would collaborate and compose a song for the Christmas concert, and if we fought or we didn't come up with anything we would have to leave the school." Naruto stopped to look over his shoulder for any reaction from Sasuke, but the dark one was still walking and staring off ahead impassively. "It was really difficult at first, cause I didn't know Neji in any other light except in hate, and I couldn't see anything about him that I could like, and I guess he felt the same about me, but soon, after a while, we found a common ground, in making the song, and we met each other there. I wrote and composed the song and he sung and played it, and we helped each other in between. I'm nothing like Neji and he's nothing like me but we-" Naruto stopped again, this time to wonder what he was talking about and where was he going with it, one minute he was explaining how the band came about and the next he was reflecting out loud on his and Neji relationship…_hmm, where was I? Right!_ "Well, we won most original song at the concert, and soon after Kiba and Shikamaru joined the school band and we always entered competitions together, then we started hanging out and the rest is history!" Naruto finished and he looked back at Sasuke again: same expression, same walk. "Were you even listening?" he asked the dark one and then, as Sasuke's eyes slowly moved onto the blonde one, the Uchiha watched him blankly for a few seconds then rose his brow questioningly and with a little condescendence.

Naruto growled, "Urhh, teme!"

Coming closer to mid day it was becoming clear that no one was ever going to give them a ride, either because their rocker attire was making them look like serial killers, or hitchhiking was illegal. But Naruto was at the moment panting and dragging his feet from the weight of the sun's heat pounding on his back, his stomach was growling loud enough for it to be heard and sufficiently annoy Sasuke who was feeling equally as languished as the dobe but would not show it.

Suddenly, not able to bare it any longer, Naruto felt like he had to at least rest, the blonde one collapsed onto the grass at the side of the highway where they walked, blocking Sasuke. The Uchiha stopped and glared at him.

"We'll never get to the Mist on time!" Naruto groaned dispiritingly into the lawn, "Neji and Kiba won't be able to do the show without us so the tour will be canceled and I'm going to die of starvation!"Naruto knew that he was being a little over-dramatic, but he couldn't help it, he was starving!

"Hi there." Naruto heard a soft voice, it sounded male, but then he hesitated in labeling it that, he looked up at Sasuke and noticed that the dark haired one's gaze was towards the highway. The blonde one turned around to find someone looking down on him, subtle oval face rimed with long, sleek sable hair, bronze eyes lined carefully with black liner and a patiently smiling mouth, this sexless person leaned it's head on the door of the car it was in as it gazed concernedly at Naruto.

"Are you ok?" the person asked in a boyish voice.

Naruto shot up, blushing slightly, and scratched the back of his head in embarrassment, "Yeah, just a little tired."

Sasuke was studying the driver of the car, the man's darker hued skin, the tiny pupils of his eyes, thin mouth and the scars on his cheeks, he looked rough and harsh, and particularly virulent next to the pretty kimonoed boy sitting next to him. The man's eyes glanced at the Uchiha, staying long enough to take his appearance in then he went back to looking grumpily at the road. Sasuke thought that he should feel disturbed by the couple's appearance, but somehow the uneasiness he felt as an effect of the other man's presence was being equaled out by the boy's more soothing aura. He couldn't find anything plausibly dangerous about the two.

The boy sat up to look at Naruto, "What are you two doing? Hitchhiking?"

"Yeah, to the Mist." Naruto told him and the boy's eyebrows flicked up in disbelief.

"Well you're a far way off; we should know, we're from the Mist."

"Haku." The other man suddenly spoke with a touch of warning in his guttural voice.

"Oh right, sorry honey." and he turned back to Naruto, "Forget I ever said that. My names Haku and this is my partner Zabuza." he said giving his lithe hand for Naruto to shake.

The blonde one's eyes widened, "You're a guy!?" he wowed and Sasuke closed his eyes as he sighed in exasperation, Haku just chuckled. "Urr, my names Naruto, that's my band mate, Sasuke."

"Oh, so you're in a band?" Haku asked and Naruto nodded.

"We kind of got left behind." he said uneasily and Haku watched him for a moment but decided not to ask.

"Well, Zabuza and I just got back from our vacation, we live about three towns down from here, if it would help you get closer we could give you a ride."

"Really!" Naruto couldn't help but perk up immediately, all the weariness leaving him.

Haku smiled, "Sure, we have some snacks in here if you're hungry too." he told the grinning blonde one, he could have heard the boy's stomach growling pleadingly the entire time they were talking, _he's kind of…cute,_ he couldn't help but think.

"Thanks a lot." Naruto said before he jumped over the door and landed in the open back seat of the convertable, leaving Sasuke to open the door and coolly sit himself. Haku went roaming in his bag of goodies at his feet to find the two boys the bags of chips he knew he had as Zabuza took off without a word.

* * *

"One of you could use the large bed and for the other there's a pull-out in the couch." Haku said to the two abandoned HLV members as he guided them to the back of his and Zabuza's home to the pool house where they would stay the night.

They walked around the fog layered waterfall-esque pool, koi pond and garden to the comfortable flat adjacent it all. Haku opened the door for them and Naruto stepped inside the open room, eyes widening at the opulence of it and he was suddenly happy that Haku refused any payment for his aid. Sasuke walked past the dobe without hesitation or to look around and Naruto barely paid attention to him as he disappeared into what was obviously the bedroom.

"Thanks a lot Haku-san." Naruto turned to the boy and gave him a grateful smile, "You really helped us out."

Haku nodded, "Your welcome, anything I can do to help. And if you and Sasuke are hungry there is lots of food in the kitchen of the main house, the door is just across by the pool, and if you need anything just come and give either of us a call."

"Yeah, thanks." and with that Haku left them. The blonde one exhaled as he looked around at their good fortune but then frowned as he remembered something. Haku and Zabuza looked fairly familiar, their names were also recognizable. _Haku and Zabuza, Haku and Zabuza_, _the Mist_.

"Wasn't there-" the blonde muttered softly to himself but the rest of his words were choked by the sudden rise of horrid realization and fear, _the wanted gang leaders Haku and Zabuza!_ A chill passed through the blonde one as he recalled the news report on most wanted criminals he had happened upon one night while watching movies with Kiba. Naruto looked around frantically like he was searching for a hiding spot as he wondered if he should tell Sasuke, but soon reason caught up with him and his sweating halted, _it's only for one night, and besides if anything weird happens we could just run for it_. Naruto calmed, his shoulders falling, and his eyes became weary. _Yeah, we'll be just fine,_ he told himself as he yawned.

The clock on the wall said that it was 9:36pm, tomorrow he and Sasuke would take a bus that would get them closer to the port and soon the Mist. But first was sleep, Naruto heard a low grumble that quivered out from his stomach, _ok, eat then sleep._ He made his way to the bedroom only to find the teme sitting comfortably on the king sized bed with a look of pure disdain on his face as the blonde one eyed him questioningly. Naruto knew how to take a hint and he backed off.

"Jeez, I'll take the couch, you can have It." he muttered then shivered, "It's really cold in here, isn't the heater on?" he asked the dark one who was already back to ignoring him again and was rummaging through his bag. Naruto glared at the Uchiha for a moment, contemplating the tempting idea of throwing all of his previous decisions out the window and finishing the fight that he and the bastard could never seem to finish, stupid security guards, but he willed himself out of the room and found the heater controls on the wall in the living room. It did seem to be broken as no matter how much Naruto poked at the buttons, any button, nothing changed, in fact he thought it got colder.

Naruto wondered if Haku or Zabuza knew what to do about it, but he hesitated in front of the door as he looked out at the open kitchen entrance on the other side of the pool. He wasn't so sure that he wanted to go in there, it was already difficult trying to close his eyes to the fact that he was spending the night in the pool house of two of the Mist's most wanted criminals, he wasn't so sure if he wanted to be _inside_ their house. What would he find? Flashes of images CSI and every gory horror film he could remember intruded the blonde one's mind and he shuddered and gulped. But he was soooo hungry, and it was getting colder.

Naruto shook his head and clutched the door knob determinedly; he would do this, if not for the fight against hypothermia, then for the advancing risk of starvation!

Inside the kitchen Naruto found, besides a spookily quiet atmosphere, a cupboard full of ramen, he almost cried as he whimpered thanks to Kami and stuffed his hands full. But the blonde one almost jumped out of clothes and latched himself to the ceiling when he heard a loud thump! echo through the house. Holding one of the ramen cups out in his hand like grenade and shivering Naruto stepped closer to the door that lead to the next room.

Something thumped again and the blonde noticed a familiar piece of clothing on the floor preventing the door from closing fully. If he wasn't crazy then it was the kimono that Haku was wearing just a couple of minutes ago.

"Uurrrgh!" Naruto heard someone groan out loud and his eyes shot up, through the slit of space made by the scarcely opened door Naruto saw something that made his stomach curl to the size of a walnut and he stumbled away from the door as if pulled by an invisible rope. His mind raced as it reiterated the same startling words like a shameful mantra, over and over again, _Zabuza on top of Haku, Zabuza on top of Haku, ZABUZA AND HAKU LIKE RABBITS!! _

"UUUUHHHH!!! YEEESSS!! HAAARDER!! YES!!" Naruto dropped the ramen cup and flayed his hand in the air as he didn't know what he wanted to do most with it, cover his ears (or ear, he only had one hand available, like he would drop his precious ramen. Never!), his mouth so that he won't scream, or his eyes where the infectious image was burnt. "OOOOOOH!! ZABUZA!!"

The blonde one felt faint but he clutched the counter island beside him and pulled himself up, and as soon as he found some sort of steadiness, ran for the door. _Fuck hypothermia! Urgh! Don't say fuck!!_

As the frantic fair haired one neared the door, a broad glass bottle of shimmering, amber liquid caught his eyes, recognizing and calculating in under a second, Naruto grabbed the bottle before he ran out of the door.

Sasuke raised an eyebrow at the petrified looking fox that sat against the door panting and gazing down at the floor, wide eyed, like it held the terrifying secrets of the universe. He sighed and cleared his throat causing the blonde one to look up at him startled. The dark one eyed the ramen cups the dobe held in his arms scornfully, then the bottle of Cognac. _What was he thinking?_ He felt the sudden urge to tap the idiot on his thick, good for nothing head, an impulse he had been rejecting all day, but decided that he would just add this to the many reasons he had decided to ignore the dunce.

Naruto stood and rest the ramen on the table. "Errr, about the heater, Haku and Zabuza are- busy." shudder, "So I got this instead."

Sasuke's brow knotted, _how the hell is brandy going to prevent us from freezing to death?!_ Naruto was feeling rather vulnerable, being scarred for life and all, at the moment so the dark one's dagger throwing glare didn't help.

He frowned, "It'll warm you up." he encouraged weakly. He watched as Sasuke's shoulders rose along with his entire body and tension gripped the air, he was sure that the Uchiha was about to shout at him, but instead he paused, glared _lasers _at him and walked back into the room, slamming the door shut.

Naruto sighed, _what do I care if he starves to death or gets frostbite._ He couldn't wait for tomorrow to come, to leave this house and be closer to his band. Sasuke was starting to gnaw on his patience and he was certain if the bastard kept his attitude up, like an impossible wall, as he did today, he would have no choice but to hit him. Naruto yawned again and made his ramen, after eating most of the ten cups he had forged, he took a few swigs of the Cognac and lied on his low pull out bed savoring the feel of the tingling warmth that spread through his limbs, the lightly pleasant burning in his stomach, all soothing his eyes close. _Stupid teme._

* * *

"Mmmm." Naruto said softly against the soft pleasure that was gracing his lips; supple, plump, warm flesh was being pressed on him. When the perfect mouth that was enveloping him opened he felt the angel's hot, wet muscle enter him and he tasted the bitter tang of alcohol, along with its musky smell, fresh, airy taste, with a pinch of fruit and then the natural flavor of the other's mouth. Naruto opened his mouth a bit wider to allow room for their tongues to play, he pressed against the other, pushed deeper and explored the hot cavern. He felt a paralyzing shiver zip up his spine when cold fingers gripped around his quickly awaking erection and he couldn't help but release from the kiss and cry out like he had felt a sudden sharp pain. _Kami, is this a dream?!_

Naruto's eyes flickered opened, at first he flinched from the attack of the sun's harsh glare on his sleep reddened eyes but his vision soon adjusted and the pale face, bordered in black, came into focus. Lazy obsidian bulbs reflected the blonde one's slowly falling face, Naruto gazed at the flushed cheeks and alarmingly sensuous smirk, as a blushed crept up his own cheeks and his voice was lost in the swirling mixture of confusion, lusty thoughts and utter shock.

And then Sasuke spoke, "Hey, it worked. Sleeping beauty woke up."

* * *

(1)Yay Kyo!!...heh (sweatdrops) fruits basket fan.

End of Chapter five, FINALLY!! Obviously the next chapter would be one to look forward to (no lemon yet though, sorry, patience, patience). Though I still have to write it, and I have a few ideas, but I tend to over censor myself sometimes, so hey if you want to see a really drunk Sasuke do something really provocative to his unwilling Naru-boytoy put it in your review, it just might be used. If you don't have an idea, please review anyway, I would appreciate any type of feedback on this storey. Don't be shy, I bite but all my shots are in order…

Till next week…


	6. Chapter 6

Greetings. Sorry I took so long to update, I got distracted with two other fics, lost interest in this one, had my ass kicked by Etude's biggest fan, miraculously found interest again (not really), and it took forever to write. This chapter is what the entire fic was built on actually, the idea, and the idea was derived from a super cool Bollywood flick called _Diwale Dulhania Le Jayenge,_ yeah, I have a soft spot for filmi. Hope you enjoy, and the chapter is dedicated to Shika-kun (you know who you are lazy ass :)

Disclaimer: don't own the blonde one

Chapter 6

Neji stared up at the slowly moving stars through the square of the sunroof over head as he laid on the sofa like seats of the tour bus. The hushed mumble of the engine and the smooth jerking of the moving bus were lullabying him steadily into sleep and as he slipped into it he couldn't help but think again on how quiet it was. _Naruto-_

"Hey, Neji-kun." Kiba's voice cut through the fog of coming sleep and the brunette's eyes open to his cell phone, he glanced up at Kiba, "it was ringing so I answered it." the younger teen explained bluntly but Neji was too tired to lecture him or even glare, he just took what was handed to him, turned onto his side so that he faced the back of the seat and cuddled the phone to his ear.

"This is Neji." he said.

"Hey prodigy." a jaunty female voice answered on the other line.

"Yes Ten Ten."

Neji could practically hear his best friend frown, "Jeez, who woke you up?"

"Indecently you did, now what do you want?"

"I was just calling to check up on you. Are you healthy? Are you happy? Is Jiraiya feeding you? Are you still a virgin?" she sneaked in the last one and it took the Hyuuga a moment to realize what she had said.

"Ten Ten!" he scowled, fully awake now.

Ten Ten laughed, "Sorry, I can't help it! Where is he now?" she asked and Neji felt his spirits take a dip.

"He's not here." He said stiffly.

"Huh? What do you mean? Is he in another room?"

"No, he and Sasuke got into a scuffle on stage last show-"

"They did what!?" she laughed out and Neji couldn't see what was so amusing about that.

"And Jiraiya went crazy again and abandoned them."

"He did what!?" she exclaimed, this time too shocked to find it funny.

"He thought that they were threatening the band so he drugged them the night before, which I had no knowledge of else I would of stopped him, and then woke Kiba and I early the next morning and made us leave without them."

"It's kind of like the time he locked all of you in his basement."

"Yes, the situations are similar. They have to find their way to the Mist before our show next week."

"Hmm. That's unfortunate for you." Ten Ten said sadly.

Neji frowned, "What do mean?"

"You're missing out on time with your Naru-kun." she said in a sickly sweet voice that made the brunette cringe.

"Ten Ten." he growled slowly.

"Sorry, I can't help it. But you must be missing him."

"No I don't, though what Jiraiya is doing is harsh and I'm sure in some ways illegal, he deserves it to a certain extent and I hope that Naruto comes out of it learnt."

"Mm hm, sure you do." She said and Neji contemplated if that tone was sarcastic. "Oh, my doorbell just rung, it's probably him."

"Who?"

"Right, I forgot to tell you" Now Neji could hear Ten Ten's blushing grin, "Though your love life, my darling Neji-kun, has been put on pause mine is still trudging forward, I have a date."

Neji didn't want to be curious, in fact it was against his nature to inquire about other people's personal lives, even if it was his best friend, but he couldn't help it, "Who?" he asked cautiously.

"His name is Sasori and Sakura hooked me up, he's her neighbor's grandson. Anyway, I gotta go, he's outside and he's so hot! Oh Neji you should see him, he looks just like that guitarist, um-Gaara, from that band, Sand Coffin?"

"Yes, I know who you're referring to."

"I'll talk to you later Hyuuga, and don't mope too much, you're Naru-kun would be returned to you soon."

Neji clicked the call off at that note and let the phone fall between the cushions so that he won't hear it if she called back. Shifting a bit to make himself more comfortable the brunette finally closed his eyes. _He better be-I miss him._

* * *

Naruto stop breathing as for an entire second the whole world was on pause and realization hit him with the force of a truck. _Sasuke, drunk, on top of me. Kiss._ The dark one above him just stared at him with an amused and slightly playful expression which soon turned into impatience as he realized that the teen under him was not being responsive.

"S-sasuke." Naruto heard himself mutter and slowly his brain began reconnecting itself with his body and he noticed again the enticing cold fingers that were still clutched around his partly erect member. "Sasuke." He said again more awake now and the drunk Uchiha knotted his brow in frustration, suddenly the blonde one felt the clamp around him tighten and Sasuke smirked when he released a loud groan, "Urrgh!" Naruto's eyes closed as the shiver's shimmered through his body causing him to arc his back.

When he saw Sasuke's devilish and satisfied smile he abruptly became angry, "Let go of me." He said firmly glaring up into the blushing ebony eyes, Sasuke was definitely out of it, Naruto could see that in his eyes and smell the heavy, spicy aroma on the dark one's hot, very close breath, but the teme was still a teme even when he was drunk!

Sasuke's smirk just deepened in a foreboding way, "Say please." and Naruto was for a moment distracted by the way Sasuke chimed the words.

The blonde one's eyes widened then narrowed as he shot back a hateful look, "Let. Go. Of. Me!" he said again with barely controlled anger, he was trying to be patient, he knew having his most sensitive limb hostage gave Sasuke the upper hand so he wasn't going to start struggling and fighting, which is what every inch of him was screaming to do. _He's drunk, _Naruto reminded himself so that he wouldn't lose it, _he doesn't know what he's doing._

As if to intentionally prove him wrong Sasuke's hand moved up Naruto's shaft until his thumb slid over the tip of the blonde one's head and he played over the slit, "URRGH!!" Naruto's mouth hung open as he panted and tried to recollect his thoughts, he hated how sensitive he was to Sasuke's touch, he couldn't believe this was happening, that the bastard was the one doing this to him. "SASUKE!!" he shouted losing control of his anger and tugging only to be flooded with pleasure again by the Uchiha's now warm hand, thanks to his throbbing erection.

"I said say please." Sasuke repeated and Naruto growled in frustration, the dark one just smirked again.

"P-please, Sasuke, let me go." He said through his teeth and immediately felt the pressure around his cock release. Naruto took the chance now and swung his fist around to collide into Sasuke but the Uchiha was fast, he pushed himself off of the bed and stood on the ground in front of the fuming blonde one.

"What the fuck is wrong with you?!" Naruto shouted as he adjusted himself to sit up and quickly put a pillow in his lap. The mischievous smile never left Sasuke's softly pink lips, Naruto took in the view in front of him, the teme was wearing his cloths!! The fitted black jeans that stopped at Sasuke's slender hips exposing an inch or so of creamy flesh, a black, thin sweater, the sleeves pulled up to Sasuke's elbows and the imprint of an orange resting butterfly on the chest.

"Like what you see kitsune?" Sasuke asked in a low sultry voice.

Naruto just swallowed, his erection wasn't going down and he didn't know why (or did he?). Then his brain played back what Sasuke had just said to him and he jumped out of his trance. _Kitsune?_

"What did you call me?"

Sasuke just smiled and picked up the almost empty bottle of Cognac from the table besides him, his head fell back as he put the rim to his lips and the caramel liquid flowed inside him like water into a depthless tank, he didn't even cringe as the brandy scorched his throat. The blonde one watched helplessly at the quickly emptying bottle but soon found his senses and jumped up going towards Sasuke.

The dark one saw his advance and the determined look in Naruto's eyes and he stepped back, Naruto missed the bottle which he was aiming to grab away from the Uchiha and came forward again swiping for the Cognac.

"Give it to me!" Naruto demanded and he almost tripped over when Sasuke gave him a pout, the blonde one tried to ignore the blush that was pushing to come out of him.

"No." Sasuke said as he clutched the bottle to his heart the same way a three year old would his favorite stuffed animal.

"Sasuke," Naruto said carefully like he really was talking to a three year old, "It's just going to make you worst, so give it to me." And he reached for it again but the Uchiha turned around quickly and ran for the door.

"Sasuke where are you going!?" the blonde one ran after him but Sasuke was already outside leaving the door open behind him. He looked back at Naruto over his shoulder as he sprinted, his dark hair that glistened like an onyx gem in the sun light blew against his check, "Come get me my Kitsune!" he shouted with a smile and Naruto stood stock still in the doorway, it was a real, playful smile and Sasuke looked gorgeous in it. The blonde one stared wide eyed at the receding back, he was heading for the street and surly enough Sasuke disappeared behind the high shrubs of the neighboring house. Naruto couldn't go after him, he was in his pajama bottoms and had no shirt on and he was certain that Sasuke was heading for the town which was just down the street.

He had to change his clothes and go after the drunk Uchiha who was not himself at the moment and obviously horny, there were people who would take advantage of that not to mention Sasuke's good looks alone made him stand out, plus there was the bus they had to catch in-he looked up at the clock, '7:58'- an hour!

Naruto snatched up his orange bag and ran into the Sasuke-less bedroom while hurriedly pulling his khakis out of it, within minutes he was dressed, both his and Sasuke's bags on his shoulders and writing a quick note to Haku: "_Sorry we left without saying good-bye, late for bus, thanks again for everything."_ And he was out the door.

The town was fairly small, it took up just a block, but busy nonetheless with many different people, mostly adults though, the majority of them shopping in the quaint market stalls and clothing stores. Sasuke was not amongst them though and panic began to flare up in Naruto as his eyes quickly sifted over the scene before him, _Komatta na! Where did the hentai go!? _

Naruto decided to look inside the stores, running along the pavement, he swiftly surveyed the insides through the store windows, when he came up to a crowd he stopped. They were gathered outside of a Karaoke bar, blurry music echoed through the clustered doorway, the bar was so full that customers were overflowing out onto the pavement, those that were outside tiptoeing and peeking over the shoulders of others to look inside. Naruto's eyes narrowed, _what the hell…_

He came closer and asked one of the eager by-standers what was going on, the girl answered excitedly, "This really hot guy came in a couple of minutes ago and started singing up a storm, he's like a rock star or something!"

Naruto paled and turned slowly to the door, the intro of a familiar song began as he pushed his way through the thick crowd to get inside. What he saw made him stop in his tracks as his eyebrows twitched in shock: Sasuke was standing on top of the bar counter where he could be seen clearly by the dozens of keen spectators, the microphone clutched in his hand he held to his mouth as he sang:

"_Don't worry, about a thing,_

_Cause every little thing, is gonna be alright._

_Singin: 'don't worry, about a thing,_

_Cause every little thing, is gonna be alright!'_

_Rise up this morning, smiled with the rising sun_

_Three little birds, sittin by my doorstep, singin sweet songs,_

_Of melodies pure and true, sayin 'this is my message to you-ou-ou!'_

_Singin d_-ahh!"

Naruto yanked Sasuke by his arm off of the counter, the Uchiha dropped the mike and fell landing in the blonde one's arms as the crowd groaned their complaints. He smiled sweetly when he looked up into those indescribable eyes that were worry streaked and embarrassed. "Kitsune, you found me." He said softly before he clasped his hand around Naruto's neck and pulled their heads closer as he kissed the surprised and blushing blonde one. Naruto froze against the soft lips that moved patiently and sucked at him, for one strange moment a suggestive impulse rose in him, like a whisper from his unconscious, but reality and logic were quick to beat it down. He pulled away, ignoring Sasuke's pout, and yanked the raven haired one by his hand out of the bar.

"Where are we going bishonen?" Sasuke asked him as Naruto continued to pull him down the street.

"To the bus station hentai." Naruto answered.

"But I'm hungry." Sasuke said sounding a little cross.

"I don't care, we have to leave now or we'll miss the bus, we can get something at the station."

"Wait stop!" Sasuke suddenly sounded frantic and in pain, "I don't feel so well." Naruto stopped and released his arm, he turned and watched as Sasuke bent over. _Finally, _he thought,_ he'll puke and this will be over with_. But then Sasuke looked up at the blonde one, devilish but seductive smirk on his lips as his ebony hair shadowed his eyes, and before Naruto could grab him the dark one took off again down the street.

"TEME!!!" Naruto screamed like a curse and stomped his foot as he watched Sasuke go, _for being smashed he's really steady_, Naruto thought, he knew what he was like drunk: a stumbling, incoherent fool, he would be lucky if he could even open his unlocked door. But Sasuke only seemed less grumpy and more openly perverted.

Some minutes later, after searching through ten or more stores, he found the drunk one in a café, a plate full of fries in front of him and with a turned over ketchup bottle in hand as he squeezed an irrational amount of the red condiment onto the food. Naruto put on his most stern expression and stomped through the doors and up to Sasuke and grabbed his arm. Sasuke turned and looked at the hand around him, his eyes traveling up until his obsidians met the 'inexplicable' and Naruto watched him in silent questioning as the drunk teme just gazed at him. The blonde one cocked an eyebrow but then dismissed it, "Sasuke c'mon, we have to leave now." He said.

"No!" Sasuke yanked his arm out of the blonde one's grasp and slid further away from Naruto in the long seat.

"Sasuke." Naruto growled this time losing his patience, "The bus, now!" Sasuke just smirked and shook his head. _That's it_, irritated and tired already, Naruto took Sasuke's arm and began to pull him with all his strength out of the seat. Sasuke was surprised by the force and flew forward into the blonde one's arms, Naruto felt the slender, warm body against him, somehow his hands had ended up on Sasuke's waist, his fingers slid under the tight sweater to caress the softest, smoothest touch he had ever felt, it was almost shocking how good Sasuke's skin felt. His breath hitched and all the anger dissipated from his body like steam when the slightly taller teen slipped his arms around his neck, Sasuke's head came down closer to him, and he suddenly felt a hot, damp, soft object tickle his sensitive nape making him shiver and his cock twitch. "Urh." He released softly as Sasuke pressed his entire body closer until each crevice and bulge matched into the other.

The drunk Uchiha clamped his lips down on the spot his tongue was fondling and he sucked the tan flesh, lapping in the salt and tangy sweat that was Naruto's taste. "Urgh, S-sasuke." Naruto breathed out, he felt the lips around him tighten and pull causing more shivers, Sasuke sucked until the spot began to sting the blonde one and he twitched from the uncomfortable feeling. Sasuke released and immediately went for Naruto's lips, sinking into the blonde one's gaping mouth without permission and abusing the hot cavern. Naruto's thoughts were still fogged from the hicky but his senses were quickly returning because of the many glaring eyes on them. He pulled away from Sasuke when he heard the mutterings getting louder and turned around to the other people in the café, his lips red and slightly swollen. "Sorry." He said with a nervous grin and Naruto felt Sasuke pull him down to sit beside him.

The blonde one looked around and glared at him, "Teme! We're going to mi-" Sasuke shoved a heavily ketchuped fry into Naruto's, at the time open, mouth and chuckled when the red goo flowed down Naruto's chin. The blonde one was too taken aback by the cute laugh and smile that was gracing the older teen's lips to do anything but gasp when the dark haired one leaned over and licked the ketchup off. It was wet, warm and very, very alluring, especially when the tongue and damp lips slipped up to cover his mouth and Naruto stopped chewing as he allowed Sasuke to kiss and suck his lips. Just then he felt the Uchiha's hand sneak quickly into his pants, the warm fingers traveled along his front and grasped around his already firm but not fully erect penis and Naruto gasped again, louder, as his hips shot up in shock.

The other customers and a few of the waitresses in the café looked up at him again and Naruto forced a grin onto his lips as Sasuke was now leaving another blushing mark on his neck and had commenced on stroking his shaft under the table.

"Mmmm, Kitsune, come inside me, please." Sasuke muttered against Naruto's flesh making the blonde one shiver from the vibration of his voice and the words. Naruto swallowed deeply to stop himself from groaning, he had to clear his thoughts, the teme may be smashed but he knew exactly what he was doing, he couldn't allow Sasuke to molest him like this! He wouldn't lose his virginity to a drunk guy and he wasn't going to take advantage of Sasuke either. With every ounce of self control in his body Naruto pulled Sasuke's hand out of his pants, sighing when his throbbing cock was released, and he pushed Sasuke's head away with his other hand.

The dark one looked at him frustrated and then with such pleading eyes, "Bijin, why did you stop?"

Naruto glared, "Don't call me that, and I guess we're not leaving today because you just had to drink all of the damned brandy, get yourself freakily drunk and now there's no way I could get you on that bus calmly." Sasuke smirked back at him as if that was what he was trying to tell the blonde one the entire time.

Naruto looked tired, "I don't know what to do with you." He said and Sasuke leaned over to whisper into his ear, "Fuck me Kitsune." And with that the Uchiha was up, he stood on the seat, stepped onto the table, jumped down to the floor and was out the door. Naruto just watched him going knowing that he had to pay for the fries before he chased after the crazy bastard. This was going to be a long, trying day.

* * *

Naruto spent the next few hours chasing Sasuke through the town and avoiding being sexually abused in public, the drunk Uchiha insisted on checking out every store in the block, he wanted to buy and taste everything and talk to every passing person. Naruto was surprised that the towns people were so friendly and hadn't chased them out yet. He was beginning to wonder if Sasuke would ever come down from his high.

"Sasuke?" he said as the older teen was pulling him by his hand up the pavement, past some clothing stores. "Yes bishonen."

"Have you ever drunk before this?"

"Nope." _I guess that explains it._

"Sasuke?"

"Kitsune?"

"Never touch alcohol again okay?"

"I want that." Sasuke said in a stern voice as he stopped in his tracks in front of a window, in the display was a midnight blue leather jacket on a stand; it looked intentionally worn and very expensive.

"Yeah, sure." Naruto said sarcastically as he began to walk away but Sasuke released his hand, looked around and picked up a rock that was resting in the dried gutter. Naruto only caught on when the drunk Uchiha swung his rock laden hand back and flung the thing into the air.

Naruto's eyes widen and his mouth fell open as the rock tore through the window with the sickening shriek of breaking glass. The crystal pieces fell like rain all over the pavement and inside the display and Sasuke watched it all with a smirk on his lips. Naruto held his head as he watched the other teen climb inside the display and pull the jacket off of the stand.

"HEY!!"A man called behind them and Naruto's heart caught in his throat, someone had seen, they were going to go to jail! Sasuke had jumped down from the window and look at Naruto with a smile that asked for approval.

"RUN FOR YOUR LIFE!!? Naruto shouted at him and he took off away from the store to the right, he ran down the street and out of the town until his legs stung and he couldn't breathe. He stopped in a forested area, the highway had begun again and he knew the town was far off. Bending over and panting, his thoughts whizzed in his head, his and Sasuke's bags fell off his shoulders to the ground and as he listened to his heart beat in his temples he chuckled, at first he didn't know why but soon it occurred to him that that was the most reckless thing he had done in years, of course he was going to take the jacket back, but for now Sasuke earned some points for awesomeness, even though he was drunk.

The blonde one turned around to voice his thoughts to the drunken one and his face fell when he realized that he was along, he sweatdropped and made a desperate expression when he realized again that he had been running alone also. _They caught him, maybe…_ But no one was really running after them, Sasuke probably went in the wrong direction. Naruto sighed as he picked the bags up again and began walking back in the direction he came.

* * *

He couldn't find Sasuke anywhere, Naruto had sneaked back into the town, the owner of the shop that Sasuke had broken the window of was angrily sweeping up the glass as some others gathered around recalling the story, they would definitely have to stay away from here for a while. Naruto wondered if Haku would give the jacket back for him as he walked around the town and into the other side where there were mostly homes. He was beginning to get really worried when he spotted the jacket besides a fence.

He narrowed his eyes suspiciously as he advanced on it; Naruto picked it up and looked around but saw nothing resembling the teme, but then he heard the sound of water and splashing and the blonde one tiptoed to look over the fence.

"What the hell are you doing!? That's not your pool!!" he hissed at the drunken Uchiha and Sasuke stopped, he floating in the clear, blue water and smiled. "Kitsune, you found me."

Naruto felt his temper flare at the way Sasuke disregarded the seriousness of everything he had done that day, he grumbled angrily as he climbed over the fence and came up to the edge of the pool. Sasuke's-Naruto's clothes were lying neglected on the side and he squinted at Sasuke then thanked Kami when he affirmed that the other teen was indeed wearing underwear.

"Get out." he said sternly and Sasuke pouted. "I'm not falling for your sick games this time, this is serious, your invading other people's property now!? Sasuke, get out before someone sees us!" Naruto was trying to keep his voice down and he kept looking up for any movement in the house before him.

Sasuke smirked and Naruto new by now that the mischievous, and unfortunately sexy, smile was an omen to dreadful things. "Come and get me bishonen."

"I'm not doing that hentai."

"Hn, I knew it."

"Knew what?"

"You're afraid of water, can't swim can you Kitsune?"

Naruto felt annoyed, "Of course I could swim, I've been swimming since I was five!"

"Really? Why do I not believe you?" Sasuke said then he swam closer to the ladder, "It's okay Kitsune, I'll just come out before you fall in and drown yourself."

"Don't you dare!" Naruto pointed a finger at Sasuke making the teen stop and look up at the blonde one questioningly. Naruto glared at the other in the water as he rest the bags down, tugged his shirt off and then undid and pulled off his khaki pants. Without another word the blonde one jumped into the pool head first, he submerged for a few seconds gliding smoothly to the other side and then came up only to find Sasuke smirking in his face. It was then that he realized that he had been fooled.

"S-" he began but was cut off by the other's lips smashing onto his, Naruto felt his teeth clang against Sasuke's but he enjoyed the pain, the dark haired one's burning, salacious tongue delving inside his mouth, the sleek, tight body whose flesh was pressing so hard and perfectly into him, the hands that latched around him, one moving steadily down past the band of his boxers, Sasuke pushed his way between Naruto's cheeks until his finger pressed against the blonde one's tightly shut but quivering entrance. Naruto's body shuddered and he gasped at the new sensation he was experiencing, the feel of Sasuke's probing finger teasing and then pushing into his most sensitive spot, when the Uchiha grinded his crotch on Naruto's front the blonde one pulled his lips out of the lock and cried out, "Urh!!"

"Let me take you Kitsune." Sasuke breathed on Naruto's panting lips, his endlessly black eyes absorbing and drowning Naruto in their intensity, Naruto felt the finger finally enter him, it was a strange feeling, more uncomfortable than painful, and his clenching muscular ring burned slightly, especial when Sasuke thrust his finger deeper, "Urrhh, Sasuke." he panted, and Naruto realized that he had no self-control left, drunk Sasuke had him right where he wanted him and the blonde one couldn't fight back, fear rang behind the yearning, he wanted this but at the same time it felt wrong. In the distance came the creaking of an opening door…

* * *

Sasuke opened his stinging eyes and immediately flinched from the excruciating pain that erupted on both ends of his body; he couldn't decide which was worst, the sharp soreness in his ass or the throbbing of his head. A soft groan escaped his tightly shut lips as he tried to get used to the sensations and remember why exactly he could remember anything. He was lying on his stomach, and he soon realized that he was also on a bed, the Uchiha slowly pulled his heavy head and waited for the room to stop moving…this wasn't Haku and Zabuza's pool house. It looked more like a spare room, just the bed he was lying on, closet, chest of draws and television set on a table.

Sasuke turned over and bit his bottom lip as the pain in his ass exploded again and his brain did acrobatics in his spike studded skull. It was then he noticed that he was naked under the covers except for his boxers and he had the worst taste in his mouth. _What happened?_ He immediately thought of Naruto, where was he? The door of the room suddenly open and in came the missing blonde one. He had a tray with breakfast on it, cereal, some pastries and tea-actually it smelt like coffee.

"What happened to me?" Sasuke asked Naruto and the other teen stopped in his tracks when he heard the Uchiha's voice, Sasuke watched as a little blush appeared on the dobe's cheeks and he narrowed his eyes as some memories came back to him: he had woke up in the middle of the night, it was frigid in his room, he was pissed as hell and was going to do something mean to the dunce in his sleep when he saw the Cognac and the blonde one sleeping comfortably besides it, not shivering at all. Sasuke couldn't believe it, he had to try this drink for himself, and he did, the brandy tasted great, it warmed him up as well, after that everything was a blur.

Sasuke looked up at the younger teen before him and for a moment he swore he saw an expression of deliberate evil on Naruto's face but if it was there he quickly covered it up with a different one, lusty and affectionate. Sasuke cocked his eyebrow and watched Naruto rest the tray on the floor and then came to sit on the bed.

"Don't you remember, Sasuke-kun." Naruto said to him in a soft voice that caught all of the Uchiha's attention, the blonde one's indescribable eyes were fondling Sasuke's exposed chest. Naruto brought his finger up and touch Sasuke's cheek, his softly pink lips parted alluringly. "Don't you remember…" Sasuke had moved slightly and the pain in his lower back threatened again.

Understanding reared slowly and the moment it did Sasuke felt the shock and rage come with it, _Naruto and him!_ The Uchiha shot up out of the bed, efficiently ignoring all the aches that exploded because of it, and grabbed Naruto by his neck. Naruto cried out as he was basically yanked by his neck across the room and shoved against the wall, Sasuke never letting go of him, he was shocked, he couldn't believe how strong the teme was!

Sasuke's nails dug into Naruto's flesh as he shouted enraged, "You bastard! You took advantage of me!!"

"I didn't!" Naruto gasped, he couldn't breathe properly.

"Yes you did! I was drunk! What kind of sick bastard are you, I should kill you!!"

Naruto felt intimidated and he knew it, Sasuke was scary when he was angry, he really did feel like he was about to be murdered and probably deserved it. He tugged at the strong hand around his neck giving himself some breathing room so that he could speak properly.

Naruto looked at Sasuke dead in his coal like eyes and said without hesitation or faulter, "I'm not lying, I didn't take advantage of you Sasuke. I swear it; I was just playing around, a joke."

Sasuke's brow crinkled, "Then-then why-does my ass hurt?" he asked feeling a bit uncomfortable about saying that out loud.

"You passed out and fell really hard when I was taking you up the stairs," he said to the slowly calming Dark one with a straight face, "You'd invaded this old lady's backyard and was in her pool and I was trying to get you out when she caught us, you got sick suddenly and she was really kind and let us stay here. I put you on the bed and I slept on the floor. I never touched you," then Naruto's eyes deepened as a new emotion came over his face, one that was thoroughly sincere and that Sasuke couldn't define but yet it made him blush inside, "_I would never do that to you._"

Sasuke shivered, he was stunned with himself and he almost denied it internally but he did feel the little zip of electricity race through his nerves and the shudder that followed it. But it wasn't pronounced for Naruto to see.

He released his hold on Naruto's neck, exposing the reddened lines, and the blonde one stood up properly as they both stared at each other, neither shying away from the other's gaze, but they weren't fighting or sizing each other up.

"Don't make jokes like that Naruto," Sasuke suddenly spoke, his throat was dry, his head throbbed and he suddenly felt extremely weak, "You don't know what I would have done."

Naruto nodded, "I'm sorry Sasuke, I won't ever do that again."

Sasuke watched Naruto for a moment longer then he remembered that he was almost naked and stepped back, but his body was exhausted and sluggish so he mostly stumbled, Naruto suddenly held his arm and helped him sit on the bed and Sasuke pulled his covers over his lap as he watched Naruto pick the tray back up again and bring it to him.

"This is yours," he said, "take the painkillers and eat as fast as you can, we have a bus to catch in an hour."

* * *

Praise Zeus!! the chapter is finished, I thought the thing would never end!! Not that it was abnormally difficult to write, it was just troublesome. This was one of the two or so chapters to come based on the filmi I mentioned before (by the way the actual movie is much more rated G than my fic, they don't even kiss!!) I hope you enjoyed it. Naruto and Sasuke are going to get along a lot better now…in fact I believe the next chapter holds a lemon…

Till next time…


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